In an exclusive article for DKNews.kz, Ms. Jiang Wei, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Almaty, emphasized that the 25th SCO Summit held in Tianjin was not merely the largest gathering of Eurasian leaders but also an important step toward building a just global order. According to her, the summit opened a new chapter of cooperation, demonstrated the power of unity and consensus, and highlighted the special importance of Sino-Kazakhstani good-neighborly relations, which serve as a model for the entire region.
The SCO’s Strength Converges on the Haihe, Opening a New Page of Global Governance
The waves of Bohai Bay rose high, and joyful songs echoed at the gates of Tianjin. In September, this port city shone with a special brilliance as it hosted the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. More than twenty foreign leaders, including the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, along with ten heads of international organizations, gathered on the banks of the Haihe River to strengthen friendship and discuss paths of joint development.
The Tianjin summit not only delivered significant results but also became a key stage where Chinese President Xi Jinping presented the “Global Governance Initiative.” This step drew interest and support on the international stage, and the outcome of the meeting can be summed up in three words: Connection, Consensus, and Cooperation.
Connection: Eight Outcomes Opening a New Page for the SCO
The Tianjin summit went down in history as the largest and most productive in the SCO’s existence. It was marked by eight major achievements:
- Adoption of the SCO Development Strategy for the next ten years;
- A firm voice in defense of the outcomes of World War II;
- Support for the multilateral trading system;
- Foundations laid for the creation of four security centers;
- A political decision to launch the SCO Development Bank;
- Establishment of six new platforms for practical cooperation;
- Development of six action programs for high-quality growth;
- A breakthrough in institutional reform within the SCO.
These steps not only expand the organization’s scope of work but also strengthen its influence on the international stage. For member states, this means new opportunities to develop their economies, jointly counter threats, and deepen cultural exchange.
As Laozi once said, “He who holds to the Great Image attracts the world.” The Tianjin summit demonstrated precisely this kind of magnetic force. Under China’s chairmanship, the SCO united states with different interests and histories around common goals. The “Shanghai Spirit” - mutual trust, equality, respect for civilizational diversity, and a commitment to shared development - proved once again to be relevant and in demand.
Consensus: The Global Governance Initiative as a Response to the Challenges of the Time
The summit’s main political event was Xi Jinping’s presentation of the Global Governance Initiative. First voiced at the “SCO+” forum, it became a response to the challenges of the era.
At its core lie several key principles: equality of states, adherence to international law, commitment to multilateralism, a people-centered approach, and practical steps instead of empty declarations.
In the year marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in World War II and the founding of the United Nations, this document acquired special symbolism. Amid a crisis of the global governance system and a shortage of fair solutions, China proposed a vision that returns to the ideals of the UN Charter and the spirit of joint consultation.
Xi Jinping stressed that global governance must serve the interests of all countries, especially those of the Global South, whose aspirations are peace, development, and equality.
“The Way of Heaven is to benefit and not to harm. The way of the sage is to act and not to seek violence,” Xi said, quoting Laozi. His initiative has become a new public good for the world, alongside China’s previously introduced Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative.
Together, these four concepts form a unified system - a kind of beacon pointing the way toward reforming global architecture and building a community of shared future for mankind.
Cooperation: Sino-Kazakhstani Good-Neighborliness as a Model of Bilateral Relations
Kazakhstan has traditionally played a special role in the SCO. It was here that the “Belt and Road” initiative was first announced, and today the republic plays a key role in its implementation.
On the eve of the summit, Xi Jinping held talks with Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. As a result, more than twenty cooperation agreements were signed in areas such as energy, science and technology, education, sports, housing construction, and environmental protection. Two new Luban Workshops - centers for training specialists in in-demand professions - opened in Kazakhstan.
Such a partnership brings tangible benefits to the citizens of both countries: students gain access to modern knowledge, businesses to new opportunities, and societies to stronger ties. The experience of Sino-Kazakhstani cooperation has become a model of regional partnership within the SCO.
“As long as those close are content, people will come from afar,” said Confucius. This aphorism aptly reflects the essence of today’s bilateral relations. Over 24 years, the SCO has grown from the “Shanghai Five” into the largest regional organization in terms of population and territory. Today, China, together with Kazakhstan, is ready to promote global initiatives, build a closer community of shared future, and strengthen a multipolar world.
The Winds of Change from the Banks of the Haihe
The Tianjin summit was more than a diplomatic meeting - it showed the world that the SCO can be a driver of change. Here, initiatives were born, alliances strengthened, and the outlines of a new international order took shape.
Upon the banks of Haihe, powers meet,
The quiet river stirs beneath the breeze.
A dawn ascends, where truth is forged to might,
A world made whole - undivided, just, at peace.
A vision vast, a star in heaven’s height,
Leads nations forth along one common way.
China and Kazakhstan, a bond refined,
A noble pact where friendship shall not sway.
One path unites, and mighty peoples rise,
Toward sacred aims their steadfast steps are led.
Shoulder to shoulder, hope within their eyes,
They greet the dawn where brighter worlds are spread.
Toward the Dawn of a New World
Today, on the banks of the Haihe, where the voices of leaders and the hopes of peoples came together, the SCO showed its power of renewal. In a world full of challenges, new solutions emerged here, alliances were strengthened, and the path toward a just and multipolar future became clear.
China and Kazakhstan once again proved that true good-neighborliness can serve as an example for an entire region, and that joint efforts can deliver real benefits to people.
Thus, the image of a boat in which nations row shoulder to shoulder toward a common goal is not just a metaphor but a symbol of our time. Destinies intertwine, countries moving forward together become stronger, and a bright shared future is already taking shape ahead - like the dawn of a new world, where trust, equality, and cooperation remain the highest values.
