TIANJIN: The northern Chinese port city of Tianjin will host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit 2025 starting Sunday as leaders from across Eurasia gather for high-level discussions.
This largest summit since the organisation’s inception will convene more than 20 world leaders and 10 heads of international organisations from 31 August to 1 September.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be among the top leaders attending the event where he has been invited to deliver remarks at the SCO Plus Summit on 1 September.
His engagement reinforces Malaysia’s commitment to regional peace, neutrality and stability within a broader multilateral framework.
Other leaders scheduled to attend include Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will also participate in the summit.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh are among the distinguished attendees.
Cambodian Premier Hun Manet will join the gathering of world leaders in Tianjin.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is attending the significant international event.
ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn will also participate in the summit discussions.
The SCO was founded in Shanghai in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Its membership has expanded to include Pakistan, India, Iran and Belarus while Mongolia and Afghanistan have observer status.
Among the 14 SCO dialogue partners are Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Turkiye, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Maldives.
The city has been adorned with banners and welcoming decorations in preparation for the major international event.
Security has been tightened particularly around the main venue as Tianjin prepares to welcome thousands of delegates including about three thousand media personnel.
The city’s night view is particularly remarkable with its skyline and major landmarks along the iconic Haihe River illuminated in vibrant colours.
This marks China’s fifth time hosting the annual SCO summit since the organisation’s establishment.
The ten member political, economic and international security organisation encompasses approximately twenty four per cent of the world’s total land area.
It represents forty two per cent of the global population across its member states. – Bernama