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Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan – Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have gathered in the capital city of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, for the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. The two-day summit, themed "Together for Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity," marks the 25th anniversary of the SCO's existence and is set to address the complex geopolitical landscape, particularly in light of recent global conflicts and economic instability.
The summit is a pivotal moment for the SCO, which has evolved from a security bloc to a comprehensive organization encompassing economic, cultural, and political cooperation. This year's gathering is particularly significant as it brings together leaders from member states, including Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and others, as well as key dialogue partners such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
The summit's agenda is multifaceted, with discussions expected to focus on promoting a multipolar world order and fostering mutual trade ties in the wake of the US-Israel war on Iran and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The summit aims to counter the unilateral foreign policies of the United States, which have eroded the global rules-based order.
William Yang, senior analyst for Northeast Asia at the International Crisis Group, highlighted the summit's importance in the current geopolitical context. "The ongoing wars are putting more strain on the rules-based international order, and against this backdrop, the summit serves as an important occasion for several of the world’s rising great powers, including China and India, to elevate their global influence and deepen their engagement and cooperation with other countries in the Global South," Yang told Al Jazeera.
The summit is also a test of the recent thawing of relations between India and China, with India-China border talks ongoing and a scheduled bilateral meeting between Modi and Putin. This comes as a visible sign of the evolving dynamics in Eurasia, where countries are seeking to organize security, connectivity, and trade without relying on Western institutions.
The SCO, which originated in 1996 as the "Shanghai Five" to settle border disputes, has expanded its scope to include trade and other Global South concerns. It now accounts for 43 percent of the world's population and 23 percent of the global economy. However, the organization's unique identity remains a subject of debate, with some analysts noting its similarities to other Global South organizations like the BRICS.
Alejandro Reyes, adjunct professor at the University of Hong Kong, described the SCO as a "counterbalance" to the US-led Asia Pacific alliance aimed at countering China's rise. "The SCO is not a coherent anti-US, anti-Western alliance. It is better understood as a forum in which countries with very different interests can demonstrate that they have alternatives and strategic room for maneuver – agency in this more volatile geopolitical order, dominated by China and the US," Reyes told Al Jazeera.
As the summit unfolds, leaders are expected to discuss a range of issues, from regional security to economic cooperation. The outcome of the summit could provide valuable insights into the future direction of the SCO and its role in shaping the global order.
The summit's significance is further underscored by the presence of key international figures, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn. Their participation reflects the growing importance of the SCO in the global arena and its potential to influence international affairs.
As the world grapples with the aftermath of major conflicts and economic uncertainties, the SCO summit in Bishkek is a crucial gathering that could set the stage for a new era of cooperation and influence in the multipolar world.
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