At 25, the SCO pivots from regional forum to global governance power

The summit arrives as the SCO transitions from mere political consensus toward tangible economic integration. For founding members and newer participants alike, the challenge remains shifting from diplomatic rhetoric to operational projects. Djoomart Otorbaev, former prime minister of Kyrgyzstan, described the organization as a nascent center for global governance, noting that it has successfully united nations with disparate political systems without relying on the creation of an imagined enemy.

China’s influence has become the central engine for this practical shift. Analysts point to the recent establishment of the SCO Development Bank—a project stalled for decades until Beijing committed to its leadership—as the definitive example of this momentum. The scale of this engagement is visible on the streets of Bishkek, where 120 Chinese-made electric buses now navigate the capital, supported by local training programs for drivers and maintenance crews.

Economic data underscores the shift in scale. Trade between China and SCO members ballooned from $12.1 billion in 2001 to $523.5 billion by 2025. Beyond traditional trade, the focus has moved toward high-tech exports, including electric vehicles and lithium batteries, alongside green energy projects like the waste-to-energy plant that recently began operations in Kyrgyzstan. As member states look toward the next decade, the agenda is increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence and green infrastructure, aiming to solidify the organization’s role as a model for multilateral cooperation in a fractured global landscape.