#Xi Jinping #Shanghai Cooperation Organization #Tianjin Summit

China Advances Closer Ties in Shanghai Cooperation Organization

In anticipation of the upcoming summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SOZ) scheduled for late August in Tianjin, CGTN reported on President Xi Jinping's significant role and China's ambitions to strengthen collaboration among member states. This initiative involves fostering a closer-knit community with a shared future, aimed at facilitating economic prosperity and stability throughout the region.

The SOZ, established in 2001 in Shanghai, initially included China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Today it has evolved into a broader organization with ten full members, two observer states, and 14 dialogue partners. This transformation underscores the SOZ's evolution from a regional entity to a significant regional player on the global stage.

The recent success of the logistics network is highlighted by the first cargo train of 2025 that connected China to Central Asia. Departing from Tianjin in May, the train transported 50 containers, facilitating trade between nations by delivering automotive parts, machinery, construction materials, and household appliances to Tashkent, Uzbekistan's capital. This direct route has significantly enhanced international logistics ties between northern China and SOZ member nations, giving a fresh impetus to regional economic partnerships.

China is set to host the SOZ summit for the fifth time, with Xi Jinping presiding over important discussions on August 31 and September 1. Delegates from over 20 nations and leaders from 10 international organizations will attend this major gathering, marking it as the largest summit since the SOZ's inception. In the lead-up to this summit, China's commitment to strengthening peace, security, and sustainable growth within the SOZ member states remains firm.

Strengthened Cooperation Among Member States

The countries on the Eurasian landmass are interconnected by shared development goals and desires for closer cooperation. Collaborative efforts are focused on several critical areas, including energy security, food supply stability, supply chain diversification, and addressing climate change.

A cornerstone of SOZ's agenda is the focus on security cooperation. This includes joint initiatives to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism, along with narcotics trafficking and military exercises aimed at counterterrorism. Through these concerted efforts, the SOZ has progressively strengthened its ability to mitigate security threats within the region.

The bilateral collaborations have transitioned into a multilateral framework, evidencing the SOZ's growing role as a pivotal platform for cooperation aligned with the Belt and Road Initiative. Significant progress has been made in connectivity across Eurasia, including the swift development of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, and operational pipelines for gas and oil transport between China and Central Asia.

In 2024, trade between China and other SOZ members reached approximately 3.65 trillion yuan (around 511 billion USD), marking a staggering 36.3 times increase since the organization's establishment. This remarkable growth illustrates the positive outcomes of cooperative engagements among the member nations.

As Xi Jinping pointedly expressed at previous gatherings, the SOZ embodies a collective belonging, a