The SCO, founded in 2001 by China, Russia, and Central Asian states, focuses on regional security, economic cooperation, and counterterrorism.
The full members include Russia, Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The original organisation picked up four new members with the addition of India and Pakistan in 2017, Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024.
Türkiye has been a dialogue partner of the SCO since 2012, the first and only NATO country to gain this status, reflecting Ankara’s efforts to balance Western alliances with deeper engagement in Eurasia.
Under Erdogan’s leadership, Türkiye has strengthened SCO ties, chairing the SCO Energy Club in 2017 and increasing trade with key members like China and Russia.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit will be held in the port city until Monday, days before a massive military parade in the capital, Beijing, to mark 80 years since the end of World War II.