The 25th summit of the Heads of State Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is set to be held in Tianjin, China. The SCO has 10 full-time members, with Belarus being the most recent member, having joined in 2024. China holds the rotating presidency of the SCO for the period 2024-2025 and will host the summit this autumn, likely in the first week of September 2025, under the theme ‘Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move’. This will be China’s fifth time chairing the SCO since its establishment in 2001.
China’s active role as chair of the SCO is evident, having hosted numerous key preparatory meetings across various cities, including Tianjin, Beijing, Qingdao, Shenyang, and Hangzhou. The preparatory meetings involved a high level of engagement starting from January and intensified in June-July as the main event is approaching. These extensive dialogues covered all critical dimensions of SCO Cooperation, spanning political, security, economic, and cultural spheres. All the spheres were thoroughly addressed and aligned before the Heads of State convened the main summit.
Ministerial Dialogues
The 22nd Meeting of Ministers of Defence was held from June 25-26, 2025, in Qingdao. The meeting was attended by the heads of defence agencies of the Organisation’s member states, SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev, and Director of the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure Ularbek Sharsheev. The attendees exchanged views on current security concerns across the globe and the region and aimed to strengthen the SCO defence mechanism by enhancing cooperation in the defence sector.
The 6th Meeting of Heads of Ministries and Departments of the SCO member states responsible for Environmental Protection, on the topic “Cooperation for the Green, Sustainable and Low-Emission Development of the SCO member states,” was held in Tianjin on July 3, 2025. During the discussion, the heads emphasised the importance of deepening cooperation to address common environmental challenges, including climate change, loss of biodiversity, and environmental pollution. The meeting concluded with the signing of a joint statement.
The 22nd SCO Culture Ministers’ Meeting, held on July 7, 2025, gathered the heads of ministries and departments of culture from member states to advance cultural and humanitarian cooperation. Attendees reaffirmed their commitment to the 2007 Bishkek Agreement. The SCO Secretary-General called on the parties to increase the number of practical projects in the field of culture. Following the meeting, the parties signed a protocol and approved the “List of Cultural Exchange Events within the SCO for 2025.”
On the same day, a Meeting of the Heads of Tourism Administrations took place. The meeting highlighted the importance of tourism in cultural and humanitarian cooperation. Practical ways to enhance cooperation, such as visa liberalisation, joint tourism products and routes, infrastructure upgrades, and youth tourism development, were discussed. The meeting also recognised Qingdao as the SCO Tourist and Cultural Capital (2024–2025), with support for Cholpon Ata (Kyrgyz Republic) as the next candidate for 2025–2026. The meeting concluded with the signing of a protocol to enhance cooperation in this area.
Another meeting on the same day, chaired by Russia, the 3rd SCO Meeting of the Ministers of Industry, was held in Yekaterinburg (Russian Federation). The heads of delegation exchanged views on industrial modernisation, investment attraction, opportunities for the formation of industrial clusters, and the development of modern innovative technologies.
On July 15, 2025, the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) will be held in Tianjin, China. The CFM is the third-highest forum within the SCO structure. It focuses on matters related to international relations, as well as the foreign and security policies of member states. The forum is responsible for approving documents—including declarations and statements—that will be submitted for consideration by the SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS), as well as decisions to be adopted by the CHS. The CFM will solidify the groundwork for the upcoming head of state summit.
Other Key Preparatory Meetings
In addition to Ministerial Dialogues, a sequence of other significant diplomatic activities was carried out. The SCO Secretary General maintained high-level diplomatic engagement through active participation in key meetings and bilateral interactions with Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and India. Noteworthy gatherings included bilateral talks with heads of state and ministers, anti-drug meetings, and sessions involving Secretaries of Security Councils. Several Expert Group meetings were organised on Information and Communication Technologies, Environmental Protection, and Culture and Tourism. Institutional dialogues were further strengthened through the Meeting of Secretaries of Security Councils and the SCO Council of National Coordinators. Additionally, a range of forums meetings were convened on the SCO People’s Diplomacy Forum, the SCO 2025 Twin Cities Forum, and the SCO Digital Economy Forum.
