SCO Summit 2025 in Tianjin: A New Pillar of Global Governance

From Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has steadily evolved from a modest regional forum into one of the most significant multilateral platforms of the Global South. What began in 2001 as a security-focused grouping of China, Russia, and Central Asian states has now expanded its agenda to cover development, finance, connectivity, and global governance. With nine full members, several observers, dialogue partners, and applicants, the SCO today represents almost half of the world’s population and a vast proportion of its natural resources.

The 2025 Tianjin Summit was a landmark moment in this journey. Not only was it the largest SCO summit ever held, but it also carried profound implications for the organization’s institutional evolution, policy direction, and global relevance. The summit outcomes, particularly the launch of the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) and the decision to establish a multilateral SCO Development Bank, underscored the SCO’s growing capacity to translate vision into concrete action.

The SCO: A Unique Model of Cooperation

Unlike traditional military alliances or purely economic groupings, the SCO has always pursued a holistic model. Its foundation rests on the “Shanghai Spirit”—mutual trust, equality, respect for cultural diversity, and the pursuit of common development. This ethos sets it apart from exclusive Western-led blocs that often divide the world into competing camps.

The SCO’s agenda has gradually expanded from counterterrorism and border security to encompass trade, energy, health, climate cooperation, and digital connectivity. Its ability to bring together diverse actors—China, Russia, Central Asia, South Asia, and now increasingly West Asia—shows that multipolar collaboration is not only possible but increasingly necessary in today’s fractured world.

Key Outcomes of the 2025 Tianjin Summit

The Tianjin Summit marked a turning point for the SCO’s trajectory. Several outcomes deserve particular attention:

1. Global Governance Initiative (GGI)

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s proposal of the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) was the most visionary highlight. The GGI aims to create a cooperative framework for fair, inclusive, and rules-based governance at the international level. Unlike the status quo dominated by a handful of powers, the GGI embodies the principle that all nations, regardless of size or economic weight, should have a voice in shaping global rules.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the initiative, noting its alignment with the UN Charter’s principles of equality, multilateralism, and sustainable development. By embedding the GGI within the SCO framework, China demonstrated both leadership and a commitment to building bridges rather than walls.

2. The SCO Development Bank

The decision to establish a Multilateral SCO Development Bank was another milestone. The bank is envisioned as a dedicated financial institution to support infrastructure, energy, climate resilience, and digital innovation projects across the SCO space.

This bank could become the Global South’s answer to financial asymmetries long dictated by Bretton Woods institutions. While the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and BRICS’ New Development Bank already play transformative roles, the SCO Bank would be rooted directly in the needs of Eurasia and South Asia—regions central to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It will provide concessional financing, encourage cross-border investments, and promote economic integration across the world’s largest landmass.

3. The Tianjin Declaration and 10-Year Development Strategy

The Tianjin Declaration, adopted unanimously, reaffirms the SCO’s commitment to peace, mutual respect, and regional stability. Alongside it, the Development Strategy 2025–2035 lays down an ambitious roadmap: expanding energy connectivity, promoting green technologies, advancing digital economies, and strengthening educational and cultural exchanges.

This long-term strategy shows that the SCO is not merely reactive but forward-looking. It seeks to consolidate its role as a stable pillar of global governance at a time when other institutions struggle with crisis management.

4. Strengthened Multilateralism

The summit also highlighted SCO’s embrace of inclusive multilateralism. UN support, coupled with growing interest from countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, suggests that the SCO is evolving into a global forum rather than a purely regional one.

China’s Leadership Role

China’s role in the SCO is indispensable. As the world’s second-largest economy, China provides both vision and capacity to the organization. President Xi’s speech in Tianjin emphasized that the SCO is shouldering greater responsibilities for safeguarding peace and promoting development.

China’s leadership manifests in several ways:

• Policy Initiatives: From the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to the Global Development Initiative (GDI), Global Security Initiative (GSI), and now the Global Governance Initiative (GGI), China continuously injects new ideas to strengthen multilateral cooperation.
• Economic Contributions: China is expected to provide seed capital and technical expertise for the SCO Development Bank. Its massive domestic market and technological strength also act as engines for regional growth.
• Diplomatic Balance: China plays a mediating role among SCO members with differing perspectives, ensuring consensus without coercion.
• Global South Advocacy: By consistently highlighting the importance of equity and justice in international relations, China positions the SCO as a counterbalance to Western-dominated forums.

Pakistan’s Contributions and Opportunities

Pakistan has been an active and constructive member of the SCO since joining in 2017. Its strategic location, bridging South Asia, Central Asia, and West Asia, makes it a vital connectivity partner within the SCO framework.

Pakistan contributes in multiple dimensions:

• Counterterrorism: With decades of experience and sacrifices in combating extremism, Pakistan plays a central role in the SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS).
• Connectivity: The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship BRI project, can serve as a backbone for SCO economic integration by linking landlocked Central Asia to global markets.
• Energy Security: Pakistan’s potential as an energy transit hub, especially with pipelines and electricity projects, adds practical value to SCO’s energy cooperation agenda.
• Diplomatic Engagement: At Tianjin, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly endorsed the SCO’s role as a unifying forum for the Global South, calling for deeper cooperation in trade, technology, and people-to-people ties.

For Pakistan, active engagement in the SCO offers opportunities to diversify partnerships, strengthen economic resilience, and enhance its global standing as a responsible actor in multilateral platforms.

The SCO as a Pillar of the Global South

The Tianjin Summit underscored the SCO’s growing importance as a pillar of the Global South. In an era marked by geopolitical fragmentation, the SCO provides a rare platform where countries of diverse political systems and cultures come together on the basis of equality and shared interests.

Its expansion beyond Eurasia reflects a natural trajectory: nations in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia are increasingly looking toward the SCO as a forum that represents their aspirations more authentically than Western-led institutions. With its principles of non-interference, sovereignty, and mutual development, the SCO resonates strongly with these regions.

As the Global South’s voice grows louder, the SCO is likely to emerge as a unified forum for development, dialogue, and diplomacy—helping shape a new, multipolar order that is more balanced and inclusive.

The Way Forward

Looking ahead, the SCO faces both opportunities and responsibilities:

• Operationalizing the SCO Development Bank: Ensuring the bank is functional, transparent, and responsive will be critical. Early successes—such as financing renewable energy or cross-border infrastructure—will build credibility.
• Deepening Digital and Green Cooperation: As climate change and technological shifts reshape the world, SCO must lead in promoting sustainable practices and digital inclusion.
• Enhancing People-to-People Ties: Cultural exchanges, scholarships, tourism initiatives, and youth forums can build mutual understanding across diverse societies.
• Expanding Partnerships: As more countries seek SCO membership or observer status, a careful but inclusive expansion strategy will strengthen the organization’s global weight.
• Balancing Security and Development: While security cooperation remains vital, the SCO must ensure that development and governance initiatives receive equal attention to create holistic progress.

SCO’s Rising Trajectory

The 2025 Tianjin Summit was more than a diplomatic gathering—it was a statement of intent. By launching the Global Governance Initiative and deciding to establish the SCO Development Bank, the organization has positioned itself as a genuine force for multipolar cooperation and equitable development.

China’s leadership, Pakistan’s constructive engagement, and the collective will of member states have transformed the SCO into a rising pillar of the Global South. At a time when global governance structures are under strain, the SCO offers a model of inclusivity, balance, and pragmatism.

The future of the SCO is bright. As it gains momentum day by day, it will increasingly serve as a unified platform for dialogue, development, and diplomacy—reshaping the contours of international order in favor of fairness, stability, and shared prosperity.
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Author: Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan, Founding Chair GSRRA, Sinologist, Diplomat, Editor, Analyst, Advisor, Consultant, Researcher at Global South Economic and Trade Cooperation Research Center, and Non-Resident Fellow of CCG. (E-mail: awanzamir@yahoo.com).