Theme: Forging Consensus for Cooperation and Building a Closer Community with a Shared Future—International Community Eagerly Awaits President Xi Jinping’s Attendance at the 2025 SCO Summit

The 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit will be held in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1. This marks the fifth time China has hosted the SCO Summit and the largest since the organization’s establishment.

By the shores of the Haihe River, Chinese President Xi Jinping will join more than 20 foreign leaders and heads of 10 international organizations to review the SCO’s successful experiences, outline its development blueprint, build consensus for cooperation within the “SCO family,” and advance the organization toward the goal of building a closer community with a shared future.

A nighttime view of both sides of the Haihe River in Tianjin, captured on August 1 (drone photo).

Many around the world eagerly anticipate President Xi Jinping’s attendance and important speech at the 2025 SCO Summit. It is believed that under the joint leadership of President Xi and other leaders, the Tianjin Summit will set a clear direction and inject strong momentum into the SCO’s development, ushering in a new phase of high-quality development characterized by greater unity, enhanced collaboration, increased vitality, and more achievements, continuously contributing “SCO strength” to building a community with a shared future for humanity.

“Setting a New Milestone in the SCO’s Development Process”

With the Haihe River’s tides welcoming the SCO, cooperation and mutual benefit look to the future. The international community widely expects the “SCO family” to once again compose a new chapter of unity and cooperation.

A nighttime view of the rear square of Tianjin Railway Station, taken on August 22.

“I believe that under the joint guidance of President Xi Jinping and leaders of various countries, the Tianjin Summit will serve as an important opportunity to propel the SCO forward, making it a model of deepening solidarity, coordination, and upholding fairness and justice,” said an expert from Kyrgyzstan.

From the Huangpu River to the Haihe River, over the 24 years since its founding, the SCO has consistently adhered to the “Shanghai Spirit” of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations, and pursuit of common development. It has gradually grown into the regional organization with the largest area and population in the world, successfully forging a path of regional cooperation that conforms to the trends of the times and meets the needs of all parties, setting an example of a new type of international relations.

It has been noted that President Xi Jinping will propose constructive new methods and paths for the SCO to uphold the post-World War II international order and improve the global governance system during the Tianjin Summit. The summit will also issue a statement commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations. “The ‘Shanghai Spirit’ offers a new paradigm for international relations, transcending outdated concepts such as the clash of civilizations and zero-sum games,” it was stated. “At a time when the international order faces challenges, the Tianjin Summit will chart the course for the SCO’s unity and development.”

It is believed that in today’s complex and changing international landscape, the SCO has the capacity and is destined to play an increasingly important role in international and regional affairs, making the upcoming Tianjin Summit highly anticipated.

Since China assumed the rotating presidency of the SCO in July of last year, it has upheld the presidency slogan of “Promoting the ‘Shanghai Spirit’: The SCO in Action,” successfully hosting over 100 diverse and substantial events.

“The SCO was born from a common desire for peace and stability, with mutual trust as its strong foundation,” noted a Russian academic. Through a series of activities and initiatives, China has further enhanced the SCO’s cohesion, increased its appeal to the Global South, and bolstered its influence on the international stage. There is anticipation that the Tianjin Summit will outline a new blueprint for the SCO’s development.

An Iranian scholar was deeply impressed by the important propositions put forward by President Xi Jinping at the 2024 SCO Astana Summit, considering them reflective of “unique strategic vision and broad global perspective.”

“We look forward to hearing President Xi Jinping’s important speech at the Tianjin Summit,” the scholar said,

Haihe River

The Haihe River is a major waterway in northern China, historically formed through centuries of canal construction to manage flooding and facilitate transport. It flows through Tianjin and into the Bohai Sea, serving as a critical economic and cultural hub for the region since imperial times. Today, its revitalized waterfront is a popular recreational area, reflecting the city’s modern development.

Tianjin Railway Station

Tianjin Railway Station, originally opened in 1888, is one of the oldest and largest railway stations in China. It has undergone several major reconstructions, most notably for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, to become a major modern transport hub. The station is historically significant as a critical junction connecting Beijing with the port city of Tianjin and northeastern China.

Huangpu River

The Huangpu River is a 113-kilometer-long river flowing through Shanghai, historically serving as the city’s main commercial artery since the Ming Dynasty. It gained prominence in the 19th century as the center of the foreign concession areas, which established Shanghai as a major international port. Today, the river is famous for its dramatic skyline, featuring iconic landmarks like The Bund and the Lujiazui financial district on its opposing banks.

Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit is the annual meeting of the Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance originally formed in 2001 by China, Russia, and four Central Asian states. The summits serve as a forum for member states to discuss and coordinate on regional issues, with its history reflecting a strategic shift towards multipolarity and collaboration on counter-terrorism and development.

SCO Summit

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a permanent intergovernmental international organization, not a physical place. It was founded in 2001 in Shanghai by the leaders of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to promote cooperation on security and economic issues. Its annual meeting, the SCO Summit, is a major diplomatic event where member states discuss strategic priorities and sign multilateral agreements.

World Anti-Fascist War

The World Anti-Fascist War, more commonly known as World War II, was a global conflict fought from 1939 to 1945 between the Allied powers and the Axis powers. It was a monumental struggle against expansionist fascist regimes, most notably Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan. The war’s conclusion led to the establishment of the United Nations and a new world order dedicated to preventing such large-scale conflict in the future.

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945 after World War II to promote peace, security, and cooperation among nations. It was established to replace the failed League of Nations and is headquartered on an international territory in New York City. The UN provides a forum for its 193 member states to address global issues such as conflict resolution, human rights, and sustainable development.

SCO Astana Summit

The SCO Astana Summit was a 2017 meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held in Kazakhstan’s capital, where the bloc formally granted full membership to India and Pakistan. This expansion was a landmark event in the group’s history, significantly increasing its geopolitical influence and demographic reach across Eurasia. The summit underscored the SCO’s role as a major forum for promoting regional security and multilateral cooperation.