SCO Secretary-General: China plays an active, constructive role in SCO development

SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2026 is set to take place in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan. In a recent interview with People's Daily, SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev said that the SCO continues to expand its influence in Eurasia and beyond and that it is the world's largest regional organization.

"China has always played an active and constructive role in the development of the SCO," Yermekbayev noted.

Twenty-five years ago, on the banks of the Huangpu River, six founding member states jointly initiated and established the SCO, opening a new chapter in contemporary international relations.

Yermekbayev said the SCO has grown into a 27-nation family, spanning a vast region, bringing together a large population and offering enormous economic potential. Under the SCO framework, its members have advanced cooperation in areas including politics, security, trade and economy, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges, while working together to address risks and challenges and promote sustainable development.

What is behind the SCO's growth?

"For countries around the world, particularly Global South countries, the SCO's values have a unique appeal," Yermekbayev said.

The Shanghai Spirit, featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and the pursuit of common development, is the source of the SCO's vitality and continued growth.

The SCO is not a military alliance. SCO member states uphold the principles of non-alliance, non-confrontation and not targeting any third party, and advocate building a new type of international relations.

"That is why an increasing number of participating countries and organizations see the SCO as an important platform for deepening mutual political trust, expanding economic and trade ties and strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation," Yermekbayev said.

The SCO is the first international organization named after a Chinese city, founded with China's participation, and headquartered in the country. He said that since the SCO was established, China has put forward a series of practical cooperation initiatives and played an important role in advancing cooperation. The SCO Summit 2025 was successfully held in north China's Tianjin Municipality. Yermekbayev noted that the Tianjin Summit "was not only the largest summit since the SCO was founded, but also produced fruitful cooperation outcomes, leaving a deep impression on everyone."

At the Tianjin Summit, leaders of SCO member states approved a development strategy for the organization in the 2026-2035 period, which Yermekbayev described as "an action plan guiding SCO cooperation and development over the next decade."

The summit also further improved and strengthened the SCO's operating mechanisms by merging its observer states and dialogue partners into a unified category of "SCO Partners." It consolidated the political consensus of all parties, and promoted the establishment of the SCO Development Bank. Four new SCO centers were inaugurated to enhance member states' capacity to address emerging threats and challenges and more effectively safeguard regional peace and security.

Yermekbayev said the SCO is undergoing profound changes in its geographic reach, membership, agenda and areas of cooperation. New issues, including artificial intelligence, the digital economy and startups, are constantly emerging, while new cooperation platforms are taking shape.

China has announced the establishment of three major platforms for China-SCO cooperation in energy, green industry, and the digital economy, as well as three major cooperation centers for scientific and technological innovation, higher education, and vocational and technical education. All of these are highly aligned with the long-term development needs of the SCO.

"The successful implementation of these platforms and centers demonstrates China's proactive engagement and strong contribution," Yermekbayev said.

During the Tianjin Summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) at the "Shanghai Cooperation Organization Plus" Meeting. Yermekbayev, who was present for the speech, said, "The initiative received an enthusiastic response from representatives of various countries immediately after it was proposed." He believes that the GGI and the "Shanghai Spirit" are highly compatible, as both emphasize adherence to international rule of law and the practice of multilateralism, which have thus garnered broad support from the "SCO family."

Yermekbayev said that at the upcoming SCO Bishkek Summit, SCO members will exchange views on a range of major global issues and discuss major topics including politics, the economy and energy. Emerging trends such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy and the green economy will also be key areas of focus.

"This year marks the 25th anniversary of the SCO. The 'SCO family' should work together to deliver more tangible results from our cooperation," he said.