Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit Opens with Leaders from 20+ Countries in Tianjin

The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit convened in Tianjin, China, with participation from leaders of over 20 countries including China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, India’s Narendra Modi, Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian, and Belarus’s Alexander Lukashenko. The summit focused on strengthening security and economic cooperation, with key discussions on counter-terrorism, development of trade ties, transport corridors, and alignment with China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Leaders are expected to adopt significant documents such as the SCO Development Strategy until 2035 and the Tianjin Declaration. The SCO, originally founded in 2001 by six Asian countries, has expanded to 10 full members, including recent additions Iran and Belarus, and serves as a platform for regional cooperation and a potential counterbalance to U.S. influence. China emphasized its role as host with cultural events and plans for a large parade marking the 80th anniversary of its WWII victory, underscoring intentions to shape a new international order favorable to China. The summit also included heads of various international organizations, highlighting the SCO's growing global engagement and strategic ambitions.