China hosts largest ever SCO summit as South Caucasus draws attention

The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit began in Tianjin on 31 August, marking the largest gathering in the bloc’s history, with China deepening ties with Azerbaijan, Armenia and wider South Caucasus.

The opening day of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin delivered a display of geopolitical symbolism and diplomacy, with China using the forum to strengthen multilateral and bilateral ties across Eurasia. President Xi Jinping held back-to-back meetings with leaders from Azerbaijan and Armenia, as the summit drew regional and international scrutiny.

Hosted by China from 31 August to 1 September, the two-day summit features ten full member states, including China, Russia, India, and newly admitted Belarus, alongside observer countries and dialogue partners such as Azerbaijan, Armenia and Türkiye. This year’s event, the largest in the SCO’s history, reflects Beijing’s growing diplomatic outreach through multilateral formats.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Tianjin after his country’s strategic partnership with China was upgraded to a "comprehensive" level earlier this year. Armenia, meanwhile, announced the formal establishment of its strategic partnership with Beijing during the summit’s first day.

"China is expanding its influence into the South Caucasus," political analyst Dr Vakhtang Maisaia told AnewZ. "It is promoting infrastructure, energy and connectivity cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, especially through the Middle Corridor." He added that Georgia, despite having a free trade agreement with China since 2015 and being involved in major connectivity projects, remains absent from the SCO framework.

China’s trade with SCO members, observers and dialogue partners reached $890 billion, nearly 14% of its total foreign trade, highlighting the group’s economic relevance.

Political researcher Ross Feingold noted that "the SCO remains an important platform for China to showcase its global role, especially as host." He pointed out that while the SCO is not a free trade bloc, China uses it to project soft power and pursue long-term regional goals.

Feingold added that this year’s summit gained extra attention because of several factors, including the presence of Russia’s Vladimir Putin and India’s Narendra Modi. It also comes amid global shifts in trade alliances and China’s response to Western-led international frameworks.

"Beijing wants to demonstrate an alternative to a U.S.-dominated world order," Feingold said. "This is part of the wider multipolarity narrative that resonates with many SCO leaders."

There is also a geopolitical undercurrent concerning the South Caucasus. Following the 8 August breakthrough between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which saw Yerevan accept third-party control over the Zangazur Corridor connecting Azerbaijan’s mainland to Nakhchivan, observers speculate that a bilateral meeting between Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan may take place on the sidelines in Tianjin.

Maisaia said "China may even offer itself as a platform for future regional peace dialogues." He added that while a formal trilateral encounter between Aliyev, Pashinyan and Putin is unlikely, the summit creates diplomatic openings that could serve long-term regional peace.

Asked whether the SCO is crucial for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s standing, Feingold replied: "It’s important, but not essential. Russia continues to maintain bilateral ties with many countries that still visit Moscow and trade with it, including Asian nations. But these multilateral summits help show the world that Russia isn’t completely isolated."

With the main leaders’ summit and victory parade in Beijing set for 1 and 3 September respectively, analysts expect a final communique to stress multilateralism, non-interference, and trade cooperation. While not all leaders share the same views, the SCO’s importance as a dialogue platform remains clear.

"The real outcomes will follow after the summit," Feingold added. "China will likely move forward on bilateral deals with selected partners, while countries such as Russia will look for continued engagement and legitimacy."

Watch the full episode of Context with Orkhan Amashov for in-depth analysis and expert insights from Tianjin.

Copied