Xi Calls for Higher-Quality Development of SCO at Bishkek Summit

Bishkek (GNP): Chinese President Xi Jinping called for higher-quality development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), addressing the 26th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State in Bishkek on Tuesday and thanking President Sadyr Japarov for hosting the gathering under Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship theme of “Together Toward Sustainable Peace, Development, and Prosperity.”

Xi opened his remarks by marking the 35th anniversaries of the independence of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, which fall on August 31 and September 1 respectively, extending congratulations to President Japarov, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the people of both countries.

Placing the summit within a broader historical arc, Xi noted that this year marks the SCO’s 25th anniversary, recalling that the organization was founded 25 years ago as countries in the region, drawing lessons from the Cold War and confronting threats from terrorist, separatist and extremist forces, reached consensus on working together to uphold sovereignty, security and development interests.

He said the organization’s biggest achievement over that period has been growing into a new type of regional cooperation body with the largest land area and population and substantial development potential, built on what he described as the Shanghai Spirit of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations and pursuit of common development.

Xi said the SCO now stands at a crossroads shaped by transformation not seen in a century, with rivalry intensifying between dialogue and confrontation, win-win and zero-sum approaches, and multilateralism and unilateralism, and said the organization should step forward to shoulder its historical responsibility.

He outlined four priorities for the SCO’s future direction, beginning with a commitment to putting development first through an inclusive approach to economic globalization that deepens cooperation in trade, investment, connectivity, energy and resources while expanding into artificial intelligence, the digital economy and green industry.

On the economic front, Xi said China regards the SCO as a priority area for advancing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and implementing the Global Development Initiative, pledging continued support for the SCO Digital Economy Forum and the SCO Agricultural Expo.

He said China would develop an international AI application cooperation center with fellow SCO countries, work to increase installed photovoltaic and wind power capacity by 10 million kilowatts each, implement 100 technological cooperation projects over the next three years, and establish a China-SCO port economic cooperation center in Tianjin, alongside support for improving the performance of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor.

Turning to security, Xi called for treating it as a key goal through coordinated measures against both traditional and non-traditional threats, including terrorism, separatism, extremism, transnational organized crime, drug trafficking and telecom fraud, along with strengthened cooperation on information security, bio-security and outer space security.

He said China would work with all parties to advance the Global Security Initiative and supports a sensible, coordinated and balanced approach to nuclear security as well as the early opening of the SCO’s four security centers to strengthen member states’ capacity to respond to security threats.

On the third priority, Xi emphasized a people-centered approach to cement the foundation for lasting friendship, calling for cooperation networks between legislatures, political parties, educational institutions, think tanks, businesses and media to promote exchanges among member states.

He said China would support a bigger role for the SCO Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission, host forums on innovation, sustainable development and people-to-people friendship, and establish a China-SCO basic education cooperation center to build on existing programs such as Confucius Institutes and Luban Workshops.

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Rounding out his address, Xi called for dialogue and consultation to achieve more equitable and orderly governance, stressing that all countries, regardless of size, are equal and that regional affairs should be decided collectively.

He voiced support for the Samarkand Solidarity Initiative for Common Security and Prosperity proposed by President Mirziyoyev and the Initiative on World Unity for Just Peace, Harmony, and Development proposed by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and said China stands ready to strengthen coordination with all parties on Ukraine, the Middle East, Afghanistan and other hotspot issues to promote political settlement.

He closed by congratulating Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Pakistan assuming the chairmanship of the Council of Heads of State, pledging China’s support for Islamabad in the role ahead.

Xi Jinping said, “When purpose guides us, no path is too long; when resolve strengthens us, no barrier is too high.”

Xi Jinping said, “China will join hands with all member states in giving Pakistan our strong support.”