How Xi cements neighborly bonds with SCO friends

Meanwhile, Xi has integrated his proposed development initiatives, like the Belt and Road Initiative, with the growth strategies of SCO countries.

The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, officially launched late last year in Kyrgyzstan, is an epitome of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation among SCO member states. Personally promoted by Xi and his two Central Asian counterparts, the railway will become a strategic corridor linking China and Central Asia, boosting regional connectivity and trade, as well as strengthening people-to-people bonds.

Trade between China and SCO member states, observer states and dialogue partners reached a record high of $890 billion in 2024, accounting for some 14.4 percent of China's total foreign trade, according to official data.

"China's efforts to build a community with a shared future with its neighbors are not just a philosophical concept. It's a sustainable, multi-dimensional development blueprint grounded in mutual respect," said Serik Korzhumbayev, editor-in-chief of the Delovoy Kazakhstan newspaper.

Korzhumbayev noted that Xi's vision serves as a blueprint for fostering closer SCO cooperation. "In the face of global turbulence and profound changes in the international landscape, strengthening ties with neighboring states will open new prospects for advancing regional prosperity and promoting a fairer and more just world," Korzhumbayev said. "The SCO undoubtedly plays a pioneering role in this regard."