SCO Summit to chart development blueprint

The upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit 2025 is set to build consensus, inject fresh momentum into cooperation and map out a blueprint for future development, Fan Xianrong, an ambassador responsible for the work of China's SCO national coordinator, told Xinhua News Agency in a recent interview.

Scheduled for Sunday and Monday in the port city of Tianjin, the summit will be the largest gathering in the SCO's history, Fan said.

President Xi Jinping will chair the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO and the "SCO Plus" Meeting, and deliver keynote speeches, while more than 20 foreign leaders and 10 heads of international organizations are expected to attend the meeting, he added.

Fan said Xi will jointly sign and issue a declaration with leaders of other SCO member states, approve a development strategy of the SCO for the next 10 years, issue statements marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in World War II and the 80th founding anniversary of the United Nations, and adopt a series of outcome documents on strengthening security, economic, people-to-people and cultural cooperation.

Founded in Shanghai on June 15, 2001, the SCO is the first regional international organization that was cofounded by China and is named after a Chinese city.

Over the past 24 years, the SCO has pioneered and practiced the Shanghai Spirit — featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations and pursuit of common development.

Guided by this principle, the organization has deepened political, security, economic and cultural cooperation, bolstering regional stability and development while offering a model for a new type of international relations, Fan said, adding that the Shanghai Spirit echoes the principles of the UN Charter and builds on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

"It has transcended outdated notions such as the clash of civilizations, Cold War mentality and zerosum mindsets, winning growing recognition from the international community," he said.

The SCO has grown from its six founding members into a 26-nation family spanning Asia, Europe and Africa — comprising 10 member states, two observer states and 14 dialogue partners. It is now the world's largest regional international organization in terms of both geographical area and population.

"The SCO will keep its door open, welcoming more countries that embrace the Shanghai Spirit into the SCO family," Fan said.

China assumed the SCO rotating presidency of 2024-2025 after the Astana Summit in Kazakhstan in July last year. Since then, China has facilitated the implementation of more than 100 events under the "SCO Year of Sustainable Development" theme, Fan said, adding that he believes China will take more pragmatic steps and adopt a more proactive approach to bring greater benefits to the people of the SCO countries — and to help build a closer SCO community with a shared future.

Fan pointed out that the SCO is now at a pivotal stage of upgrading its development, facing both opportunities and challenges.

He believes that China will work closely with all parties to advance the SCO's high-quality growth, focusing on five key priorities — enhancing security mechanisms, creating and sharing development opportunities, strengthening good-neighborly relations, upholding international fairness and justice, and maintaining openness and inclusiveness.

Through the "SCO Plus" model, China aims to attract broader participation in SCO cooperation across various fields, adding certainty and positive momentum to lasting peace and shared prosperity worldwide, Fan said.