The Tianjin Declaration of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) dated 1 September 2025, is a comprehensive document reflecting the positions and goals of the member states.
The declaration, consisting of five sections, addresses a wide range of issues, from global security and counter-terrorism to economic cooperation, infrastructure development, and cultural-humanitarian ties.
It emphasizes the aspiration for a multipolar world order based on international law and the central role of the UN, as well as expresses concern over current international conflicts and calls for their peaceful resolution.
The document also records important decisions on the development of the organization itself, including the SCO Development Strategy until 2035 and the creation of new structures, such as the SCO Development Bank.
According to the Tianjin Declaration, the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) have decided to merge the statuses of “observer” and “dialogue partner” into a single status of “SCO partner.”
In addition, the member states noted with satisfaction the decision to grant the Lao People’s Democratic Republic the status of SCO dialogue partner.
Overall, the declaration demonstrates the collective vision of the SCO countries on key global and regional issues and their intention to deepen cooperation in various fields.
Here are the key points from the Tianjin Declaration:
I. (on principles of international cooperation):
- Recognition of profound historical changes and the aspiration to create a more just, equal, and representative multipolar world order.
- Exacerbation of geopolitical confrontation and serious upheavals in the global economy.
- Commitment to forming a more representative, democratic, just, and multipolar world order based on principles of international law and the central coordinating role of the UN.
- The need to adapt the UN to modern realities through reform to ensure representation of developing countries.
- Commitment to the “Shanghai Spirit,” which includes mutual trust, benefit, equality, consultations, respect for cultural diversity, and striving for joint development.
- Rejection of bloc and confrontational approaches in solving international and regional problems, and the vision of interaction within the SCO as a foundation for the architecture of equal and indivisible security in Eurasia.
- Central Asia as the core of the SCO and support for the efforts of Central Asian states to ensure peace and stability.
- Adoption of the SCO Development Strategy until 2035, defining priority tasks for deepening cooperation.
II. (on security challenges and threats):
- Determination to continue joint fight against terrorism, separatism, and extremism, as well as against illicit drug trafficking and transnational organized crime.
- Condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and the unacceptability of “double standards” in combating it. Call for the adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.
- Creation of a Universal Center for Countering Challenges and Threats to Security and an SCO Anti-Drug Center.
- Confirmation of commitment to the establishment of Afghanistan as an independent, neutral, and peaceful state free from terrorism, war, and drugs, and emphasis on the need to form an inclusive government.
- Negative impact of unilateral expansion of global missile defense systems on international security.
- Call to keep outer space free from any weapons and the need to conclude a legally binding document to prevent an arms race in space.
- Pprotest against the militarization of the information and communication technologies sphere and the creation of threats to critical information infrastructure.
- Key role of the UN in countering threats in the information space and call for signing the UN Convention against Cybercrime.
III. (on economic cooperation):
- Support for China’s “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR) initiative and efforts to align it with the development of the Eurasian Economic Union.
- Initiative to create a Greater Eurasian Partnership and readiness for dialogue with other regional associations.
- Opposition to unilateral coercive economic measures that contradict the UN Charter and WTO rules.
- Development of cooperation in e-commerce, digital trade infrastructure, and bridging the digital divide.
- Support for innovations and creative industries, activation of the SCO Pool of Technology Parks and Innovation Clusters.
- Reform of the international financial architecture to increase the role of developing countries.
- Increasing the share of national currencies in mutual settlements and decision to establish the SCO Development Bank.
- Development of mutually beneficial cooperation in industry and adoption of a Statement on Cooperation in “Green” Industry.
- Expansion of cooperation in energy, including energy security, infrastructure protection, and a just energy transition. Approval of the Roadmap for Implementing the SCO Energy Cooperation Development Strategy until 2030.
- Further development of cooperation in the transport sector, creation of new and modernization of existing international transport routes, such as “North-South” and “East-West.”
- Strengthening customs cooperation, including digitalization and “Single Window” mechanisms.
- Strengthening cooperation in agriculture and food security.
IV. (on humanitarian cooperation):
- Deepening cooperation in education, including the activities of the SCO University and development of digital skills.
- Strengthening scientific-technical and innovative cooperation, recognition of equal rights of all countries to develop and use artificial intelligence.
- Recognition of Qingdao (2024-2025) and Cholpon-Ata (2025-2026) as SCO Tourist and Cultural Capitals.
- Development of global dialogue between civilizations, cooperation in education, science, culture, and preservation of heritage.
- Aspiration to create a just, effective, and sustainable public health system, building capacity in emergency medicine, telemedicine, and traditional medicine.
- Deepening cooperation in sports.
- Strengthening cooperation on sustainable development, environmental protection, combating desertification, and preserving biodiversity.
- Support for the Regional Climate Summit in Kazakhstan in 2026 with UN support.
- Strengthening youth cooperation, creating conditions for the safe development of the younger generation.
- Commitment to ensuring the rights of women and children, strengthening contacts between women’s associations.
- Strengthening interregional contacts and deepening traditional friendship through people’s diplomacy.
V. (on SCO development and expansion):
- Decision to merge the statuses of “observer” and “dialogue partner” into a single “SCO partner” status.
- Granting the Lao People’s Democratic Republic the status of SCO dialogue partner.
- Transfer of SCO chairmanship to the Kyrgyz Republic under the slogan “25 Years of SCO: Together Toward Sustainable Peace, Development, and Prosperity.”
The full text of the Tianjin Declaration can be found here:
https://rus.sectsco.org/documents/ ///nCa, 1 September 2025