Xi Jinping Concludes Central Asia and Middle East Diplomatic Tour

The SCO summit in Bishkek, marking the organization’s 25th anniversary, served as a primary platform for Xi to advocate for a multipolar security framework. Member states signed 28 outcome documents, including amendments to the SCO Charter and new regulations for counter-terrorism and anti-drug centers. Xi’s four-point proposal emphasized development as the prerequisite for security, a stance supported by former Kyrgyz Prime Minister Djoomart Otorbaev, who noted the organization’s capacity to bypass political differences in favor of economic connectivity.

In Kyrgyzstan, the signing of a bilateral treaty on permanent good-neighborliness elevated the existing partnership to a new strategic level. Foreign Minister Wang Yi highlighted this agreement as the trip’s most significant political milestone, signaling a move toward long-term institutional stability between the two nations. This sentiment was echoed in Cairo, where Xi met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to mark 70 years of diplomatic relations. As the Middle East grapples with persistent conflict, Xi proposed a new security architecture predicated on the integration of regional development and sustainable peace. Former Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf suggested that China’s emphasis on political solutions and sovereignty offers a distinct alternative to traditional military-centric approaches in the region.