What You Need to Know
• Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet in Kyrgyzstan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.
• The summit will include leaders from over a dozen countries, focusing on economic issues and geopolitical unity against the West.
• This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which represents 40% of the world’s population.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to convene in Kyrgyzstan on August 31, 2026, for the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). This summit will bring together more than a dozen leaders, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to discuss economic cooperation and geopolitical strategies. Although the SCO’s founding declaration states it is not an alliance against other states, past summits have seen Putin and Xi criticize Western nations, particularly regarding the Ukraine conflict and U.S.-China tensions. The SCO, which includes 10 permanent members and 15 dialogue partners, claims to represent approximately 40% of the global population and 25% of the world’s GDP.
Why It Matters
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation plays a significant role in shaping regional and global geopolitics, particularly among its member states. Established 25 years ago, the SCO has evolved from a focus on economic cooperation to a platform for political alignment against Western influence. With Iran joining in 2023 and maintaining strong ties with Russia and China, the bloc’s influence is expected to grow. The upcoming summit occurs amid heightened scrutiny of China’s trade practices, as highlighted by recent comments from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding China’s substantial trade surplus.
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