Leaders from Russia and China, including President Vladimir Putin and President Xi Jinping, are scheduled to meet in Kyrgyzstan on Monday for the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The SCO has historically focused on economic issues, but the leaders have also used the summit to advocate for a multipolar world and to present a united front against Western influence.
The SCO’s founding declaration states that the group is 'not an alliance directed against other states.' However, during last year's summit, Putin accused Western nations of provoking the Ukraine conflict, while Xi criticized 'acts of intimidation' in reference to tensions between the US and China.
In addition to Putin and Xi, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are expected to attend, although Turkey is not a member of the SCO. Pezeshkian is anticipated to hold bilateral discussions with Putin in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Iran joined the SCO in 2023 and has established close military and energy ties with Russia and China.
The SCO comprises 10 permanent members and includes 15 additional states as 'dialogue partners,' such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Leaders from India and Pakistan, both full members of the SCO, are also expected to participate. The bloc claims to represent approximately 40 percent of the global population and 25 percent of global GDP, marking 25 years since its establishment.
The summit occurs shortly after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced plans to encourage G20 members to reassess trade terms with China, criticizing Beijing's $1.2 trillion global trade surplus as unsustainable. Bessent stated, 'The world cannot have a China with a US$1.2 trillion trade surplus,' and noted that China is attempting to export its way out of a weak economy. He also mentioned plans for a bilateral meeting with the Governor of the People’s Bank of China, Pan Gongsheng, during the G20 conference.