The organization comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, with 16 more nations affiliated as observers or “dialogue partners.”

The presidents of Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Kyrgyzstan, as well as the prime ministers of India, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Pakistan, among others, are already in this northern port city.

Starting on Saturday and continuing on Sunday, Xi Jinping held bilateral meetings with each of the leaders present, emphasizing the need to enhance cooperation amid a complex and turbulent global situation.

Although the SCO was established in 2001 to address the need for security cooperation, it has gradually evolved into a platform for in-depth collaboration across multiple fields, including economics, trade, and cultural exchanges.

Its member states currently represent about a quarter of global GDP.

The agenda aims to deepen trade and economic exchanges in the region amid a complex international scene marked by rising US protectionism.

President Xi Jinping announced, in the official ceremony, new Chinese measures and initiatives to support the high-quality development of the SCO and comprehensive cooperation.

jdt/iff/lam/idm