Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) are set to gather in the Chinese port city of Tianjin from August 31 to September 1, in what Chinese officials say will be the largest SCO summit to date, with over 20 heads of state and international organization leaders expected to attend.

According to Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui, security cooperation will dominate the agenda. He revealed that member states are moving to accelerate the establishment of four specialized centers dedicated to counter-terrorism, combating drug trafficking, ensuring information security, and strengthening border protection.

"This is to enhance the SCO's ability to counter security threats and challenges, including the fight against the 'three evil forces,' combat cross-border organized crime, and ensure information security," Zhang told RIA Novosti. In Chinese policy, the "three evil forces" refer to terrorism, extremism, and separatism.

The summit will culminate in the adoption of the Tianjin Declaration, which Zhang said will articulate a shared stance on pressing regional and global developments. Leaders are also expected to lay out a strategy for the bloc’s longer-term growth, with emphasis on consensus-based cooperation.

Beyond security, the agenda extends to trade, scientific and technological innovation, digital economy, green technology, and renewed discussions on creating financial tools such as an SCO Development Bank and Development Fund, an initiative first raised in Astana in 2024.

Multipolar Alliance

The SCO, established in 2001, has evolved into a major Eurasian political, security, and economic alliance. Its members today include China, Russia, India, Iran, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Belarus was admitted as the bloc’s tenth member at the Astana summit in July 2024, signaling its ongoing expansion. Afghanistan and Mongolia remain observers, while a wide network of dialogue partners spans the Middle East, Gulf states, and South and Southeast Asia, including countries such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE.

By hosting the summit in Tianjin, Beijing aims to showcase both its role as a security guarantor and its commitment to building a multipolar economic order that reduces reliance on Western-led institutions. For many analysts, the outcome of the gathering will highlight how the SCO is positioning itself not only as a regional security bloc but also as an emerging driver of alternative global governance.

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