Chinese President Xi Jinping is preparing to welcome several prominent leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the upcoming summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). He wants to present this summit as a model of regional cooperation that is different from the Western framework.
The summit to be held in Tianjin on 31 August and 1 September will be the biggest event in the history of SCO. A total of 20 world leaders, including Modi and Putin, will participate in it. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that President Xi will chair the 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of State during this summit and will also organize bilateral programs with various leaders as well as a welcome banquet.
Xi Jinping To Chair The 25th Meeting
The Chinese ministry of foreign affairs (MFA) mentioned, “Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit 2025 will be held in Tianjin August 31 to September 1. President Xi Jinping will chair the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the “SCO Plus” Meeting and deliver keynote speeches. During the summit, President Xi Jinping will host a welcome banquet and bilateral events for participating leaders.”
Prime Minister Modi’s China Visit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been personally invited by Xi Jinping, is going to China to attend this summit. He is likely to hold bilateral meetings with several heads of state during the summit. According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India has been a member of the SCO since 2017 and has also chaired this council in 2022-23.
The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus, while 16 other countries are associated as observers or “dialogue partners”. China and Russia are often seen as an alternative to the Western-dominated NATO, which aims to strengthen its ties with Central Asian countries.
India’s participation is also special this time because its relations with the US have soured. The Trump administration’s decision to impose a 50 percent import duty on the purchase of Russian crude oil has increased tensions between the two countries. India has always maintained close ties with Russia, while relations with China have been tense since the 2020 Galwan Valley dispute, although they are now gradually improving.
Top Leaders Of The Asian Region To Participate
Apart from host Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, many world leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in this conference. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Min Chinh will also attend this high-level meeting.
From the South Asian subcontinent, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Maldives President Mohammad Muizzu will also participate in this conference.
Myanmar’s military chief Min Aung Hlaing will also be present on the invitation of Xi Jinping. It is worth noting that the country has been facing a serious crisis since the 2021 military coup in Myanmar, where the army seized power by removing the democratic government, leading to violence and civil war-like situation.
In addition, officials of 10 international organizations including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev will also participate in this important event.
List Of Leaders Attending The Summit
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- Russian President Vladimir Putin
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
- Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto
- Maldives’ President Mohammed Muizzu
- Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
- Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Min Chinh
- Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif
- Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli
- Myanmar’s military chief Min Aung Hlaing
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