From political trust and common security to economic connectivity and people-to-people exchanges, Chinese President Xi Jinping has consistently championed the "Shanghai Spirit" as a guiding principle for cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), turning shared aspirations into concrete actions and tangible outcomes.

On June 15, 2001, the leaders of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan gathered in Shanghai to announce the founding of SCO, a new regional organization in the Eurasian region and also the only international organization named after a Chinese city.

As the SCO prepares to convene its 26th summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, the organization's journey over the past 25 years offers a vivid illustration of how the Shanghai Spirit – featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development – has continued to gain vitality in a changing world.

In his signed article on Kyrgyz media on Friday, Xi said he looks forward to working with his Kyrgyz counterpart to make new progress in building an SCO community with a shared future.

"China is convinced that with the concerted efforts of all sides, this year's SCO summit will be a crowning success and provide fresh impetus for carrying forward the Shanghai Spirit and building an SCO community with a shared future," Xi said.

Since 2013, Xi has attended every SCO summit in person or via video link and put forward a series of major initiatives and promoted practical cooperation across a wide range of fields, helping transform the Shanghai Spirit from a set of shared principles into a driving force for regional peace, development and common prosperity.

Strengthening mutual trust

During his first SCO summit in Bishkek in 2013, Xi called on members to uphold the Shanghai Spirit and strengthen mutual trust and cooperation.

Five years later, at the 2018 SCO Qingdao summit, which Xi chaired for the first time, he described the Shanghai Spirit as the "shared asset" of SCO members and the SCO as "our shared home," saying the Shanghai Spirit had transcended outdated notions such as the clash of civilizations, Cold War mentality and zero-sum thinking.

At the 2022 Samarkand summit, Xi stressed that the Shanghai Spirit is the source of the SCO's vitality and called on SCO members to act in the spirit and "jointly build our region into a peaceful, stable, prosperous and beautiful home."

Guided by this philosophy, the SCO has developed a new model of regional cooperation that brings together countries with different social systems, development paths and cultural traditions. The organization has also expanded from its six founding members in 2001 into the present day's 10 member states, two observer states and 15 dialogue partners, growing far beyond its initial security focus to become the world's largest regional organization.

Common security highlighted

Security has remained a cornerstone of SCO cooperation. At the 2013 SCO summit, Xi called for stronger cooperation in combating terrorism, separatism and extremism.

At the 2018 Qingdao summit, the Chinese president proposed that SCO members pursue common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security.

Over the past decades, China has worked with SCO members to deepen law enforcement and security cooperation, conduct joint counter-terrorism exercises and combat terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime. These efforts have helped build a regional security architecture based on dialogue and cooperation rather than confrontation.

At the 2025 Tianjin summit, Xi called on SCO members to give full play to the newly established SCO Universal Center for Countering Security Challenges and Threats and the SCO Anti-drug Center and build a community of common security in the region.

Economic cooperation in full swing

For Xi, security is inseparable from development. Over the years, he has repeatedly called for closer alignment between development strategies, expanded trade and investment cooperation and improved regional connectivity.

In 2013, during his visit to Kazakhstan, Xi proposed building the Silk Road Economic Belt. The Belt and Road Initiative subsequently became an important platform for practical cooperation among SCO members.

From the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area in Qingdao to the SCO Agricultural Technology Exchange and Training Demonstration Base in Shaanxi, a range of platforms have been established to turn policy coordination into concrete development opportunities.

At the 2023 SCO summit, Xi called on SCO members to enhance the connection of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with development strategies of various countries and regional cooperation initiatives.

"We should further promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, speed up the development of port infrastructure and regional and international logistic corridors, and ensure stable and smooth functioning of regional industrial and supply chains," Xi said.

The results have been substantial. In 2025, China's trade with other SCO members reached $523.5 billion and accounted for 8% of the country's total foreign trade, up from $12.1 billion in 2001, said Huang Ling, spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce.

Closer people-to-people exchanges

From 2013 to 2025, Xi has called for enhancing cultural and people-to-people exchanges during his speeches.

During his speech at the SCO summit in 2023, Xi promised China would provide SCO member states with 1,000 International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarships, offer 3,000 "Chinese Bridge" summer camp opportunities and invite 100 young scientists to China for scientific research exchanges.

From cultural centers and archaeological cooperation to vocational training through Luban Workshops and youth exchanges, these initiatives have helped translate the principle of mutual learning among civilizations into everyday interactions.

At the 2025 Tianjin summit, Xi noted people-to-people interactions are frequent and robust among SCO members, and different civilizations radiate their unique splendor.

"We should continue to promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and write brilliant chapters of peace, amity and harmony among countries different in history, culture, social system and development stage," Xi said.