China Hosts Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit Amidst Rising Global Tensions
QINGDAO, CHINA – China is hosting the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) this week, as geopolitical instability mounts across multiple fronts. The gathering, taking place in Qingdao, brings together leaders from member states including Russia, India, Iran, and Pakistan, alongside observer and dialog partners. This year’s summit is particularly significant given escalating global crises and the potential for shifts in international power dynamics, including the prospect of a second Donald Trump presidency in the United States.
The SCO, originally founded in 2001 as a security bloc focused on counter-terrorism, has evolved into a broad platform for political, economic, and security cooperation across Eurasia.With global trade increasingly fragmented and new sanctions regimes emerging,the summit provides a space for nations seeking alternatives to Western-led institutions and a forum to address shared concerns. China’s trade with SCO members, observers, and dialogue partners reached a record $890 billion in 2024, representing 14.4% of its total foreign trade.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with several leaders on the sidelines of the summit, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Following the summit, Xi will host Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at a large-scale military parade on September 3rd, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The summit also presents a key prospect for Iran to garner support against recently imposed “snapback” sanctions on its nuclear program by the UK, germany, and France, a move already opposed by China and Russia. For India, the Qingdao meeting marks Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to China in over seven years, following lingering tensions stemming from 2020 border clashes in Indian-administered Kashmir, and potentially his first encounter with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after a four-day armed conflict between the two countries in May.
Beyond security concerns, China is leveraging the SCO platform to promote its technological initiatives. Beijing has pledged 1,000 training opportunities in digital technology over the next three years and is inviting partners to join its BeiDou navigation system and the International Lunar Research Station project. The previous SCO leaders’ summit, held in Astana, Kazakhstan in July 2024, resulted in the adoption of 25 strategic documents covering areas such as energy, security, finance, and facts security. Analysts view this year’s summit as a demonstration of “Global South” solidarity, particularly in anticipation of potential policy changes under a future Trump governance, which previously imposed “reciprocal” tariffs on China and India.
