In August 2024, four trucks loaded with medical supplies rolled out of the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area (SCODA) in Qingdao, heading for Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Their weeklong journey marked the launch of SCODA's first TIR international road transport route, linking the Chinese mainland with Uzbekistan via the Transports Internationaux Routiers system.
TIR, an international customs transit system, streamlines cross-border logistics by cutting time and costs for transport companies while easing the burden on customs authorities. To date, SCODA has established four TIR routes connecting China with Russia, Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Belarus. By the end of July, 500 TIR vehicles carrying goods worth over 341 million yuan (around $47.5 million) had used these corridors, spanning more than 40 product categories.
At the same time, trade between China and SCO member countries hit $512.54 billion in 2024, up 2.7 percent year on year. In the first five months alone, trade volume reached $204.92 billion, marking a 0.8-percent increase compared to the same period last year.
Under its 2024 chairmanship motto 'SCO in Action', China has organized over 100 meetings and activities. Highlights include the SCO Green Development Forum, the 42nd meeting of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure Council, the 2024 SCO Think Tank Forum, the SCO Women's Forum and the 2024 SCO Ice Hockey Championship. These platforms are strengthening political trust, regional security, shared prosperity and person-to-person exchanges.
Pragmatism at the Forefront
On April 10, Tianjin hosted the China-SCO Sustainable Development Industrial Investment Promotion Event, the first major gathering ahead of the 2025 SCO summit. Institutions and enterprises from across the region showcased projects in energy, petrochemicals, mining and infrastructure. Contracts for 18 projects spanning eight countries, valued at 4.795 billion yuan (around $700 million), were signed during the event.
Luan Jianzhang, director of Tianjin's Foreign Affairs Office, said 'pragmatism' is the key theme for the upcoming summit. As one of China's earliest coastal ports open to international trade, Tianjin has leveraged strategic advantages to deepen cooperation with SCO nations. Since 2016, the city has established 24 Luban Workshops—vocational training centers—across 23 countries. Ten are located in SCO member states such as Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Pakistan, India, Cambodia and Egypt, sharing expertise and fostering skill development.
In 2024, Tianjin's trade volume with SCO countries reached 47.39 billion yuan, a 15.6-percent increase over 2023. Between 2018 and 2024, actual investments from SCO countries in Tianjin totaled $136.81 million, leading to 213 new enterprises. The city has also developed 20 sister-city partnerships with SCO member states across 11 countries, encouraging ongoing exchanges and tangible cooperation outcomes.
As China leads the SCO's rotating chairmanship, this blend of new transport corridors, sustainable development projects and vocational training offers a model of pragmatic cooperation. By turning dialogue into action, SCO countries are building stronger connections, shared prosperity and regional resilience.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
