The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of State Council Summit opened in Tianjin, China, on August 31, 2025, marking the bloc’s most expansive and geopolitically significant gathering to date. With leaders from over 20 countries and representatives from 10 international organizations in attendance, the summit underscores the SCO’s growing influence as a Eurasian platform for multilateral diplomacy, economic cooperation, and regional security.
Hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the two-day summit is being held against the backdrop of global economic instability, ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, and rising tariff tensions between the United States and major Asian economies. The summit’s theme, “SCO Year of Sustainable Development,” reflects a shared commitment to multipolarity, resilience, and inclusive growth.
Key Highlights From The Tianjin Summit
- Over 20 heads of state attending, including leaders from India, Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Egypt
- Ten international organizations represented, including the United Nations, ASEAN, CIS, CSTO, ECO, CICA, AIIB, and the Eurasian Economic Commission
- Leaders expected to sign the Tianjin Declaration and a 10-year strategic roadmap for SCO cooperation
- Bilateral meetings scheduled between Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi, Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and others
- The summit includes an expanded SCO Plus format to engage dialogue partners and observers
Participating Leaders And Delegations
The summit features a diverse lineup of global leaders:
1. Narendra Modi – Prime Minister of India
2. Xi Jinping – President of China
3. Vladimir Putin – President of Russia
4. Masoud Pezeshkian – President of Iran
5. Shehbaz Sharif – Prime Minister of Pakistan
6. Alexander Lukashenko – President of Belarus
7. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan – President of Turkey
8. Prabowo Subianto – President of Indonesia
9. Anwar Ibrahim – Prime Minister of Malaysia
10. KP Sharma Oli – Prime Minister of Nepal
11. Mohamed Muizzu – President of Maldives
12. Mostafa Madbouly – Prime Minister of Egypt
13. Serdar Berdimuhamedov – President of Turkmenistan
14. Thongloun Sisoulith – President of Laos
15. Pham Minh Chinh – Prime Minister of Vietnam
16. Ilham Aliyev – President of Azerbaijan
17. Nikol Pashinyan – Prime Minister of Armenia
18. Hun Manet – Prime Minister of Cambodia
19. Ukhnaa Khurelsukh – President of Mongolia
20. Emomali Rahmon – President of Tajikistan
21. Shavkat Mirziyoyev – President of Uzbekistan
22. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev – President of Kazakhstan
23. Sadyr Japarov – President of Kyrgyzstan
International Organizations In Attendance
The summit also brings together key multilateral institutions:
- United Nations – Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
- Shanghai Cooperation Organisation – Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev
- SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure – Executive Committee Director Ularbek Sharsheev
- Commonwealth of Independent States – Secretary-General Sergey Lebedev
- ASEAN – Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn
- Collective Security Treaty Organization – Secretary-General Imangali Tasmagambetov
- Economic Cooperation Organization – Secretary-General Asad Khan
- Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia – Secretary-General Kairat Sarybay
- Eurasian Economic Commission – Chairman Bakytzhan Sagintayev
- Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank – President Jin Liqun
Strategic Agenda And Expected Outcomes
The summit’s agenda includes:
- Signing of the Tianjin Declaration outlining shared principles and future priorities
- Approval of a 10-year strategy for cooperation in trade, energy, security, and cultural exchange
- Statements commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the founding of the United Nations
- Expanded engagement with dialogue partners through the SCO Plus format
- Bilateral discussions on border trade, digital infrastructure, and regional stability
Diplomatic Outlook: A Platform For Multipolar Consensus
The SCO Tianjin Summit 2025 is being viewed as a major assertion of Global South solidarity, particularly in response to renewed tariff pressures from the United States under President Donald Trump’s second term. With India, China, and Russia aligning on key issues, the summit signals a recalibration of global power dynamics and a push for a more equitable international order.
Sources: Firstpost, Daily Sabah, Independent Uganda, Hindustan Times, MSN India, Times of India
