Statement by H.E. Xi Jinping
President of the People’s Republic of China
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Plus Meeting
Bishkek, September 1, 2026
Your Excellency President Sadyr Zhaparov,
Colleagues,
It gives me great pleasure to join fellow members and partners of the SCO family in celebrating the 25th anniversary of our organization. I wish to thank President Zhaparov for his kind invitation and the thoughtful arrangements by the government of Kyrgyzstan.
The meeting today focuses on strengthening the role of the United Nations and building a multipolar world, and it demonstrates SCO’s commitment to reforming and improving global governance as required by our times.
Currently, major changes unseen in a century are accelerating across the globe. Hegemonism, unilateralism and protectionism are resurging against historical trends. Nevertheless, the overwhelming majority of the world do not condone power politics, conflict and confrontation, or isolation and backwardness. What they want instead is to hold a place on the world stage through national development and international cooperation. In recent years, the rise of the Global South is driving a profound shift in the international balance of power. The trend toward a multipolar world is irreversible.
What kind of multipolarity does the world need? How are countries going to take part in and promote it? The international community should build consensus and make the right choice that can stand the test of practice and history. As a responsible major country, China advocates for an equal and orderly multipolar world.
—Sovereign equality and mutual respect are fundamental principles. The history of the world is written by all nations. Multipolarity, independent choice of development paths, and greater democracy in international relations are the right way forward. We should ensure equal rights, equal opportunities and equal rules for all countries, regardless of their size, strength and wealth. As an important part of a multipolar world and a key driving force behind it, the Global South countries ought to have greater representation and voice in international affairs.
—Balance, order and the rule of law are inherent requirements. The purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter set the basic norms of international relations, and serve as the bedrock of the postwar international order. We should promote the common values of humanity, reject double standards, exceptionalism, foreign interference, bullying and the law of the jungle, and advance the rule of law in international relations. Major countries in particular should take the lead in observing international norms and honoring the rule of law, and work together to tackle global challenges.
—Multilateralism, dialogue and consultation are essential pathways. The domination of international affairs by a few is an injustice left over from history, and global governance dictated by one, a few or a bloc of countries is not true multilateralism. World affairs should be discussed by all, and international norms should be set by all. The authority and vitality of the U.N. need to be restored. Multilateral mechanisms, global and regional, should enhance their coordination and improve their efficiency.
—Mutual benefit, win-win, and inclusiveness are the way forward for development. Countries are not isolated islands, but partners with intertwined interests and a shared future. Protectionism, decoupling and supply-chain disruption will lead nowhere. We should focus on the development agenda, uphold openness and cooperation, and bridge the digital and AI divides, so that technological revolution and development achievements can benefit all nations.
Colleagues,
After a 25-year journey, the SCO has successfully set a stellar example in conducting relations among big countries, among neighbors, and among countries of different sizes. It has successfully brought together half of the world’s population and a quarter of the global economy, generating strong driving forces for development. A more united and vibrant SCO is fully capable of making greater contributions to an equal and orderly multipolar world.
First, we should advance common prosperity in the vast continent straddling Asia and Europe with the SCO Strength. Cooperation within the SCO has been fruitful in political, security, economic, trade, people-to-people and cultural domains, and our organization is now a key platform for Eurasian countries to jointly pursue development and tackle challenges. We should continue to leverage our strengths, unlock our potential, and connect the multiple growth poles across the continent through high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. We should empower each other, help each other succeed, and work together to create new opportunities and promote shared prosperity.
Second, we should promote the development and rise of the Global South through the SCO Wisdom. The organization takes root in the Global South, its heart beats with the Global South, and it is an important pillar of South-South cooperation. We should carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, strengthen and expand the SCO Plus partnerships, and jointly speak up for peace, foster synergy for development, build bridges for cooperation, and pave the way for win-win outcomes.
Third, we should guide the reform and improvement of global governance through the SCO Action. Our organization takes it as its mission and responsibility to make the global governance system more just and equitable. We should stay committed to building partnerships rather than alliances, and engaging in dialogue rather than confrontation. We should adhere to the principle of “planning together, building together and benefiting together” to encourage equal participation in global governance by all countries and ensure all will benefit from it.
Colleagues,
In global governance, stagnation is regression. It is important that SCO member states and partners ride the trend of history and shoulder the responsibility of our times. Let us take the people-centered and action-oriented approach, jointly advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world, make global governance more just and equitable, and build a community with a shared future for humanity.
Thank you.
