<< Back

The 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

On the evening of August 31, President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan hosted a banquet at the Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center in Tianjin to welcome international guests attending the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit. This photo shows Xi Jinping, Peng Liyuan, and the guests taking a group photo before the banquet.

On the morning of August 31, President Xi Jinping met at the Tianjin Guest House with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who was in China to attend the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit and the events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

President Xi Jinping met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the Tianjin Guest House, who was in China to attend the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit.

President Xi Jinping met with Maldivian President Muizzi at the Tianjin Guest House, who was in China to attend the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit and the commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

President Xi Jinping met with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Sadyr Japarov at the Tianjin Guest House. The Kyrgyz president came to China to attend the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit and the commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

President Xi Jinping met with Indian Prime Minister Modi at the Tianjin Guest House, who was in China to attend the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit.

President Xi Jinping met with Turkish President Erdogan at the Tianjin Guest House, who was in China to attend the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit.

President Xi Jinping met at the Tianjin Guest House with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who came to China to attend the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit and the events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

President Xi Jinping met at the Tianjin Guest House with Azerbaijani President Aliyev, who was in China to attend the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit and the events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Keeping Our Original Aspiration and Mission in Mind, Creating a Bright Future

Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China

On the morning of September 1, the 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was held at the Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center in Tianjin. Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over the meeting and delivered an important speech entitled "Bearing in Mind our Original Aspiration and Mission and Creating a Bright Future." (Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Xie Huanchi)

Dear Colleagues,
Twenty-four years ago, upon its establishment, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) established the "Shanghai Spirit" of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations, and the pursuit of common development. Over the past 24 years, member states have upheld this original aspiration, shared opportunities, pursued common development, and promoted a series of groundbreaking and historic achievements in the SCO's development and cooperation.
We were the first to establish a military trust mechanism in border areas, transforming the vast border into a bond of friendship, mutual trust, and cooperation. We were the first to initiate multilateral action to combat the "three evil forces," solidly advance law enforcement and security cooperation, properly manage and handle conflicts and differences, and resolutely oppose external interference, thus safeguarding regional peace and tranquility.
We were the first to initiate cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative. A large number of landmark projects and "small but beautiful" livelihood projects have taken root, industrial investment cooperation has been actively promoted, and the momentum for regional development and prosperity has been further strengthened. The goal I set for China's cumulative trade volume with other SCO countries to exceed US$2.3 trillion was achieved ahead of schedule. Our multi-dimensional connectivity network has become even more comprehensive. Nearly 14,000 kilometers of international road transport routes have been opened between member states, and over 110,000 China-Europe freight trains have been operated.
We were the first to conclude a long-term treaty on good-neighborliness, friendship, and cooperation, declaring our everlasting friendship and our commitment to never becoming enemies. We have established and fully leveraged mechanisms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's Good-Neighborliness, Friendship, and Cooperation Committee, fostered a network of friendly exchanges among the peoples, and expanded cooperation among local governments, media outlets, think tanks, women, and youth, promoting friendship and mutual understanding among the peoples of our member states.
We were the first to propose the concept of global governance based on extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, practicing true multilateralism. We have deepened cooperation with the United Nations and other international organizations, participated constructively in international and regional affairs, consistently stood on the side of international fairness and justice, advocated inclusiveness and mutual learning among civilizations, and opposed hegemony and hegemony, playing a positive role in promoting world peace and development.

Colleagues!

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization has now grown into the world's largest regional organization, with 26 participating countries, cooperation in over 50 areas, and an economic output approaching $30 trillion. Its international influence and appeal are growing. Looking back, despite turbulent times, we have achieved success by practicing the "Shanghai Spirit." Looking ahead, as the world faces turbulence and transformation, we must continue to uphold the "Shanghai Spirit," forge ahead with down-to-earth efforts, and better leverage the organization's functions.
First, we must persist in seeking common ground while reserving differences. Like-mindedness is strength and advantage, and seeking common ground while reserving differences is broad-mindedness and wisdom. Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states are all friends and partners. We must respect each other's differences, maintain strategic communication, build collective consensus, strengthen solidarity and cooperation, expand the scope of cooperation, leverage each country's endowments, and shoulder the shared responsibility of promoting peace, stability, development, and prosperity in the region.
Second, we must uphold mutual benefit and win-win results. We must deepen the alignment of development strategies, jointly build the Belt and Road Initiative with high quality, and enhance regional development momentum and improve people's well-being through extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits. We must leverage the advantages of our super-large markets and the complementary economies of member states to enhance trade and investment facilitation, strengthen cooperation in areas such as energy, infrastructure, green industries, the digital economy, scientific and technological innovation, and artificial intelligence, and jointly advance toward modernization through mutual success and a shared future. Third, uphold openness and inclusiveness. The Eurasian continent has nurtured ancient civilizations, guided the integration of East and West, and driven human progress. Peoples of all countries have always shared resources and learned from each other's strengths to overcome their weaknesses. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states should learn from each other through cultural exchanges and provide strong support in economic cooperation, working together to build a garden of civilizations where people strive for self-improvement and achieve mutual success, share beauty, and coexist in harmony.

Fourth, uphold fairness and justice. Promote a correct view of World War II history and oppose Cold War mentality, bloc confrontation, and bullying. Uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core and support the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core. Advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world and inclusive economic globalization, and promote the building of a more just and reasonable global governance system.

Fifth, uphold pragmatism and efficiency. Continue to advance SCO reform, increase resource input and capacity building, and improve organizational mechanisms, make decisions more scientific, and implement actions more efficiently. Expeditiously launch the Integrated Center for Addressing Security Threats and Challenges and the Drug Control Center, and establish the SCO Development Bank to provide stronger support for member states' security and economic cooperation.

Colleagues!
China has always linked its own development with that of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and with the aspirations of the people of all SCO member states for a better life. To date, China's investment in other SCO member states exceeds US$84 billion, and annual bilateral trade with them exceeds US$500 billion.
In promoting the greater development of the SCO, China has always emphasized practicality. China plans to implement 100 "small but beautiful" livelihood projects in member states in need; provide RMB 2 billion in grant aid to member states this year; and extend an additional RMB 10 billion in loans to member banks of the banking consortium over the next three years. Starting next year, we will double the number of SCO special scholarships, implement the SCO Doctoral Innovation Training Program, and jointly cultivate outstanding academic and scientific talent. Over the next five years, we will build 10 "Luban Workshops" in member states, providing 10,000 human resources training opportunities.

Colleagues!
“Where there is a will, there is a way.” Let us bear in mind our original aspiration and mission, actively shoulder our responsibilities, and with greater enthusiasm and more pragmatic measures, promote the steady and long-term development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and forge ahead firmly towards a bright future of building a community with a shared future for mankind!

Thank you all.