China’s northern port city is preparing to welcome leaders from across three continents for the largest Shanghai Cooperation Organization gathering to date.
Summit agenda
Tianjin is putting the finishing touches on preparations to host the most extensive Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in the organisation’s history, set to take place at the end of the month. Leaders from more than 20 countries and representatives of 10 international organisations will converge on the city, underscoring the SCO’s growing global influence.
The summit’s agenda includes reviewing past cooperation, setting out strategies for development and security over the next ten years, and adopting key documents such as the Tianjin Declaration and a long-term roadmap stretching to 2035.
Infrastructure and cultural upgrades
City authorities say they have invested in infrastructure, improved public services, and introduced cultural and logistical enhancements to ensure the smooth running of the event. SCO-themed decorations have been installed throughout Tianjin, while transport hubs have undergone a transformation to assist the arrival of international delegations.
At rail transit stations, English-language directional signs have been standardised, and multilingual translation equipment has been deployed to support communication in over 40 languages.
Zheng Xiyu, director of the Tianjin Rail Transit Group’s network management centre, said:
“We have posted pictures of the SCO on the light boxes, Passenger Information System screens and theme trains. A total of more than 15,000 such locations have been set up across the entire network. We have set up multilingual translation machines at 63 core stations, which can support translation in over 40 languages.”
Services and logistics
Authorities have also upgraded traffic and public services, introducing dynamic deployment tools to ensure smooth passenger flows. Tianjin Railway Station has adopted real-time monitoring and contingency plans, while the city’s power department has rolled out intelligent patrols, robots and infrared detectors to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply during the summit.
Yu Pengzhou, a Tianjin official overseeing preparations, noted:
“After months of work in a meticulous and orderly manner, the preparatory tasks covering thousands of items in 10 sections, including environmental improvement, venue optimisation, atmosphere creation, cultural and artistic display, meeting service, guest reception, and volunteer service, have all been completed. Preparatory work has been basically completed.”
Unprecedented scale
This year’s SCO Summit will gather leaders from more than 20 countries and representatives of 10 international organisations, making it the most extensive meeting in the group’s history and highlighting the organisation’s expanding global influence.
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