As the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit 2026 approaches, state media has been revisiting a series of remarks President Xi Jinping has made over the years on the development of the SCO. Those comments span the organization's summits since its founding and offer a useful window into how Beijing frames its expectations for where the bloc is headed.
A consistent thread: the Shanghai Spirit
Across SCO related events, Xi has repeatedly invoked what is described as the Shanghai Spirit, built around mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and a shared pursuit of development, framing it as the foundation that keeps the organization functioning. He has also argued that member states should set aside Cold War thinking and bloc confrontation, resolve differences through dialogue, and keep security cooperation focused on jointly countering what Chinese officials refer to as the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism.
From security to a development agenda
Beyond security, Xi's remarks in recent years have increasingly turned toward economic and development priorities, including improving connectivity among member states, easing trade and investment, and linking the Belt and Road Initiative with cooperation under the SCO framework. With newer members such as Iran and Belarus joining in recent years, the organization's footprint has kept expanding, making it harder to avoid the task of reconciling the interests of member states at very different stages of development.
What the summit will test
The upcoming 2026 summit will be another test of whether those stated positions translate into concrete cooperation. For member states, striking a balance between the security and development agendas, and managing external pressure from shifting regional dynamics, are expected to be central to the discussions. Xi's remarks across past summits will continue to serve as a reference point for how outside observers read China's role within the multilateral framework.
