Xi urges ‘universal security’ at SCO summit in Bishkek

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to prioritize security and "foster an environment of universal security" on Tuesday, delivering speeches at the bloc's 26th summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, as leaders from across Eurasia gathered to mark the grouping's 25th anniversary.aa+1

Xi's Vision for the Bloc

Speaking at the formal session of the Council of Heads of State, Xi said the SCO had shown "strong vitality" since its founding amid the "sobering lessons of the Cold War," and called on members to "bravely shoulder" responsibility at what he described as a crossroads for humanity. In a veiled reference to Washington's alliance system, he said a key lesson from the bloc's quarter century was "finding the right way to coexist without alliance, confrontation or targeting any third party".scmp

Xi positioned the SCO as a vehicle for China's suite of global initiatives, calling the organization "a priority area for high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road and implementation of the Global Development Initiative". He said China is ready to help build the SCO into "an important platform for implementing the Global Security Initiative" and announced the establishment of a China-SCO basic education cooperation center.global.chinadaily+1

Modi-Xi Handshake and Sideline Diplomacy

The summit drew Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, and the leaders of Central Asian member states. Modi and Xi shared a handshake and brief exchange as they entered the meeting hall, walking side by side before the formal session — an interaction watched closely given the gradual thaw in India-China relations following years of tension over their disputed border.pbs+2

On Monday, Modi held talks with Putin and called for "an end to war," telling the Russian president that "we need to move from endless war to the end of war". Putin also met separately with Xi on Monday to discuss bilateral cooperation and what the Kremlin described as "the most important international problems," including the Power of Siberia-2 pipeline project.eurasiabusinessnews+1

A Show of Unity Amid Deep Divisions

The summit unfolded against a backdrop of overlapping conflicts — Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, the U.S. war with Iran, and the war in Gaza — lending urgency to the proceedings but also exposing the limits of the bloc's cohesion. The SCO's ten member states represent nearly half the world's population and roughly a quarter of the global economy, yet analysts note the organization has produced few concrete policy outcomes.rferl+1

"It may not have major policy achievements to its name and it can be hamstrung by its internal rivalries, but the SCO still clearly serves a purpose in bringing these leaders together in a forum that isn't dominated by Western powers," said Reid Standish, a nonresident research fellow at the Central European Institute of Asian Studies. The summit was expected to produce a Bishkek Declaration along with more than 20 documents covering security, trade, artificial intelligence, and cultural cooperation.eurasiabusinessnews+1