In Tianjin, China recently hosted the largest ever summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), attracting more than 20 world leaders including Presidents Xi Jinping (China), Vladimir Putin (Russia), and Prime Minister Narendra Modi (India).
Originally formed as a Eurasian security alliance, the SCO has evolved into a key platform for economic, cultural, and security cooperation, representing nearly half of the world’s population.
President Xi called for stronger cooperation on artificial intelligence and multilateral collaboration, urging members to move beyond the Cold War mindset.
“The Cold War mentality, hegemonism and protectionism remain, despite 80 years of peace and cooperation since the end of World War II,” he said in Mandarin, according to an official English translation.
China has invested over $84 billion across SCO countries and pledged to support 10,000 students through vocational training programmes. In addition, Beijing promised billions in grants and loans to boost development, while planning new initiatives to enhance cooperation in green energy, digital economies, and technological innovation.
The summit also featured important diplomatic meetings, including Xi’s engagement with Modi, where both reaffirmed the importance of partnership over rivalry. India’s Foreign Ministry highlighted that “a stable relationship and cooperation between India and China and their 2.8 billion peoples on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity are necessary for the growth and development of the two countries.”
Security cooperation was strengthened by signing 24 agreements targeting joint action on terrorism, drug trafficking, and economic integration. Plans for an SCO development bank and technology centres aim to deepen the organisation’s role as a driver of regional stability and prosperity.
Analysts view the improved Sino-Indian relations as strategically crucial, with experts noting this as part of China’s effort to create a multipolar world order and counter Western geopolitical influence. Additionally, China’s peace initiatives extend to possible mediation roles in conflicts such as the war in Ukraine.
A highlight of the summit was Xi’s announcement of a new “Global Governance Initiative,” which aims to reform international cooperation based on sovereign equality and justice. He insisted that “the house rules of a few countries should not be imposed upon others,” underlining China’s push for a more equitable global system.