SCO Summit in Bishkek Marks 25 Years
President Xi Jinping attends the SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan, with analysts seeing the bloc as central to China's Eurasian strategy amid global changes.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan this week. The meeting marks the bloc's 25th anniversary, with analysts expecting it to reveal China's ambitions for a more multipolar Asia.
Beijing's growing presence across Central Asia is set to be a central topic. This focus comes as Washington's strategic attention shifts and supply disruptions for energy and grain continue to affect the Middle East.
According to Chinese government data, trade in goods between China and Central Asia reached a record US$106 billion last year. That figure made Beijing the largest trading partner for the five Central Asian nations combined for the first time.
Li Lifan, a Russia and Central Asia expert at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the South China Morning Post that the SCO and Central Asia hold special importance for China. He said global competition is intensifying between the U.S.-led West and the emerging Global South within a fractured international order.
"Beijing has placed greater weight on the SCO and Central Asia as a whole," Li stated. He added that by deepening engagement and aligning more closely with Central Asian partners, China aims to build common ground and present a more united front.
Strategic Importance of the Bloc
Li argued that through the SCO, China can project power and influence parts of the global order. The group's expansion, he noted, demonstrates China's diplomatic appeal and influence.
The analyst's comments point to the bloc's role in China's broader Eurasian strategy. The SCO provides a platform for Beijing to advance its interests as the international landscape changes.
Economic and Diplomatic Dimensions
The record trade volume underscores the deepening economic ties that form a pillar of China's regional engagement. This economic heft supports its diplomatic objectives within the SCO framework.
Li's analysis suggests China sees the organization as a means to consolidate relationships in a vital region. The approach involves fostering alignment among member states on various issues.
Ultimately, the summit in Bishkek offers a moment to assess the bloc's trajectory after a quarter-century. Observers will watch for signs of how China intends to steer the group's future development and its own role within it.
