Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday called on Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states to reject “Cold War mentality, bloc confrontation and bullying practices,” while advocating for a stronger UN-centred global order.
Addressing the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in Tianjin, Xi urged members to “seek common ground while putting aside differences,” maintain strategic communication, and enhance solidarity. He stressed that safeguarding the UN-centred international system and supporting the WTO-led multilateral trading framework were essential for stability.
Xi’s remarks, seen as a veiled reference to the United States, come amid global trade tensions and recent tariff disputes. The US has imposed heavy tariffs, including a 50 per cent duty on India—25 per cent of which was linked to its oil imports from Russia.
Highlighting the SCO’s growing influence, Xi noted that the organisation’s 26 participating countries collectively account for nearly USD 30 trillion in economic output.
As part of China’s commitment, Xi pledged 2 billion yuan (about USD 281 million) in grants to SCO members this year, along with an additional 10 billion yuan in loans for SCO Interbank Consortium member banks over the next three years.
The SCO, currently comprising 10 full members including India, Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asian states, also has several observer and dialogue partner countries. India, an observer since 2005, became a full member in 2017.
The summit is being held in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1.
