Xi hails groundbreaking, historic achievements in SCO development, cooperation

The member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) have brought about groundbreaking and historic achievements in the organization's development and cooperation, said Chinese President Xi Jinping at the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin on Monday.

Chairing the meeting, Xi delivered a keynote speech.

"As early as 24 years ago when it was founded, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization established the Shanghai Spirit that features mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations, and pursuit of common development. The member states have since acted in this spirit to share opportunities and seek common development. They have brought about groundbreaking and historic achievements in SCO development and cooperation," he said.

The SCO member states were the first to set up a military confidence-building mechanism in their border areas, turning their extensive borders into a bond of friendship, mutual trust and cooperation, Xi said, listing a series of the "firsts" accomplished by the SCO member states.

They were the first to take multilateral actions against the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and were the first to launch Belt and Road cooperation, Xi said.

They were the first to conclude a treaty on long-term good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation, proclaiming their commitment to forging lasting friendship and refraining from hostilities, he continued.

The member states were also the first to put forth the vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit as an effort to practice true multilateralism, Xi added.

Founded in Shanghai on June 15, 2001, the SCO is the first regional international organization that was co-founded by China and is named after a Chinese city.

The SCO has grown from its six founding members into a 26-nation family spanning Asia, Europe and Africa, comprising 10 member states, two observer states and 14 dialog partners.

China assumed the SCO rotating presidency of 2024-2025 after the Astana Summit in Kazakhstan in July last year.

The death toll in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip has risen to 71,441 since the conflict between Hamas and Israel erupted on Oct 7, 2023, with the number of injuries reaching 171,329, said Gaza's health authorities on Thursday.

In the past 24 hours, hospitals in Gaza received two bodies, according to the health authorities.

Since the ceasefire agreement took effect on Oct 11, 2025, Israeli attacks have killed 451 people and wounded 1,251 others in the Gaza Strip.