Foreign ministers from full member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) gathered in Tianjin on Tuesday for a high-level meeting aimed at deepening regional cooperation and finalizing preparations for the upcoming Heads of State Summit later this year.

Chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the session brought together senior officials from Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus. The meeting focused on strengthening multilateral engagement under China’s rotating presidency and reaffirmed the group’s shared commitment to the “Shanghai Spirit”—a principle rooted in mutual trust, equality, and regional stability.

Among the prominent attendees, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met separately with President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Wang, conveying greetings from President Vladimir Putin and holding talks on global strategic coordination. Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, on his first visit to China since 2020, also participated in the meeting and emphasized the importance of a “far-seeing” and stable relationship between New Delhi and Beijing.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who also serves as deputy prime minister, took part in the session following a recent recalibration of diplomatic ties between Islamabad and Beijing. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also held bilateral meetings with Chinese officials, reaffirming Tehran’s commitment to regional cooperation following its accession to the SCO as a full member in 2023.

Agenda and Participation

The Tianjin gathering focused on a range of strategic priorities, including regional security, counterterrorism, economic integration, climate cooperation, and connectivity. A key objective was to coordinate policy positions ahead of the SCO Heads of State Summit, expected to be held in Tianjin later this year.

While the meeting was exclusively for full member states, observer nations—including Afghanistan and Mongolia—did not participate, a source told Ariana News. Afghanistan has held observer status since 2012, but its participation in high-level SCO meetings has remained limited, particularly under the current Islamic Emirate administration, which has not yet received formal international recognition.

The evolving situation in Afghanistan remained part of the broader regional discussions, reflecting the SCO’s continued concern with stability and security in the region.

China’s Foreign Ministry described the gathering as an opportunity to advance “practical cooperation” and strengthen the SCO’s role as a pillar of Eurasian diplomacy and development.