Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote at the 25th SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in Tianjin, reflecting on two decades of cooperation under the “Shanghai Spirit.” He highlighted major milestones and outlined a five-point vision for the region’s next chapter.
Building on 24 Years of the Shanghai Spirit
Since its founding, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has stood on principles of mutual trust, shared benefit, equality and respect for civilizational diversity. Xi underscored:
- Security first: Joint action against terrorism, separatism and extremism, and the establishment of border confidence-building mechanisms.
- Connectivity on the rise: Over 14,000 km of international land routes and 110,000+ China–Europe Railway Express trips to date.
- Economic ties: Cumulative trade surpassing $2.3 trillion, ahead of schedule.
- People-to-people links: New commissions and youth, media and women’s exchanges bringing societies closer together.
A Five-Point Vision for Shared Growth
Looking ahead, Xi laid out five strategic priorities:
- Seek common ground while respecting differences.
- Pursue win-win results through Belt and Road alignment and high-tech cooperation in AI, green energy and more.
- Champion openness: Foster cultural exchanges and inclusive economic growth.
- Uphold fairness: Support a UN-centered system and equitable globalization.
- Deliver real results: Push SCO reform, launch new finance and security centers, and boost efficiency.
China’s Commitments
Xi announced concrete steps to drive SCO action:
- 100 “small and beautiful” livelihood projects.
- RMB 2 billion in grants this year and RMB 10 billion in loans over three years.
- Double the number of SCO-specific scholarships and launch an innovative PhD program.
- Set up 10 Luban Workshops and train 10,000 professionals in five years.
As Xi noted, “Where will prevails, no boundary holds.” With a combined GDP of nearly $30 trillion across 26 members, the SCO stands at the forefront of practical multilateralism in Asia and beyond.
By weaving data-driven achievements with a forward-looking vision, the Chinese president aims to energize young leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers across member states as they tackle security, development and cultural exchange in an interconnected world.
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Full text: Xi's speech at 25th SCO Council of Heads of State meeting
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