Key Outcomes of the OCS Summit in China – September 1, 2025 – DW Report
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, held in Tianjin, China on september 1, 2025, saw member states address regional security, economic cooperation, and the evolving global order. The meeting included interventions from several leaders, including Iranian President Massoud pesesschkian and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who stated that “establishment of peace is a plea of all of humanity.” Individual meetings took place on the second day, notably between Russian President Vladimir Putin and both Modi and Turkish president Erdogan. The Kremlin announced Putin will further discuss matters with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on September 2. The summit concluded with the signing of a joint statement by all members.
President Xi Jinping urged SCO member states to maintain unity in the face of conflicts and trade disputes, emphasizing the organization’s obligation for peace, stability, development, and prosperity in the region. He called for the abandonment of “Cold War mentality,” arguing it hinders global progress, and highlighted the SCO’s successes in counter-terrorism efforts and industrial investment.
A central theme of the summit was a shared vision between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin for a new world order, challenging the dominance of the United States and Europe. Both leaders repeatedly criticized the west during the meeting. Putin asserted that “This crisis was not caused by Russia’s attack on Ukraine, but the result of a coup d’etat in Ukraine supported and caused by the West.” china, through initiatives like the “new Silk route,” aims to increase its influence in the global south and present itself as an choice to Western partnerships.
The final joint statement explicitly rejected “commercial coercion” and condemned attacks against SCO members,specifically rejecting “unilateral coercive measures,including ‘economic measures'”. This stance reflects recent disputes between some SCO members, including India and China, and the US governance over tariff impositions.
notably, the war in Ukraine was not mentioned in the final statement. However,the ten member states condemned the terrorist attacks in the Cashmiro region on April 22,2025,which resulted in over 30 deaths and subsequent intense fighting between india and Pakistan in May.
The SCO also issued strong condemnation of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, and also attacks against Iran in June 2025 by the United States and Israel, deeming these actions – notably those targeting civilian objectives and nuclear energy infrastructure – violations of international law.
