Tianjin: The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit formally kicked off here on Sunday night with a massive banquet hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, which was attended, among others, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Xi accompanied by his wife, Peng Liyuan, hosted the banquet in China’s port city of Tianjin to welcome international guests.
This year’s summit was stated to be the largest 10-member SCO group as China, which holds the Presidency of the organisation this year, has invited 20 foreign leaders and 10 heads of international organisations, including the UN Secretary General António Guterres. The summit meeting will be held on Monday at a specially designated convention centre where the leaders of the 10-member grouping, along with invited leaders, will deliver speeches. The speech of Prime Minister Modi will be keenly watched for its content in the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s tariff war and his meeting with Xi on Saturday, which was widely expected to provide a new road map for the ties.
In his welcome banquet address, Xi said the SCO bears greater responsibilities in safeguarding regional peace and stability, and for boosting the development of various countries in a world of increasing uncertainties and accelerated changes. Addressing the banquet, Xi expressed confidence that with concerted efforts of all parties, the summit will be a complete success.