Chinese Ambassador Cong Celebrates Iran’s Key Role in SCO, Advocates for Authentic Multilateralism
Since July 2024, China has taken the helm of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), implementing a series of initiatives designed to bolster regional cooperation and enhance multilateralism. This strategic move positions the Eurasian alliance as a significant player in global governance. As the current chair, China has organized over 100 events across various sectors, including politics, security, economics, energy, education, and innovation, in anticipation of the forthcoming SCO Summit in Tianjin, scheduled for August 31 to September 1. This summit is set to be the largest in the organization’s history, featuring leaders from more than 20 countries and heads from 10 international organizations.
Established in 2001, the SCO operates under the principles of the “Shanghai Spirit,” which promotes mutual trust, mutual benefits, equality, consultation, respect for cultural diversity, and shared development. The organization comprises 10 full member states, including China, Russia, and Iran, along with observer states and dialogue partners. Over the years, the SCO has evolved into a pivotal platform for fostering regional peace, stability, and economic collaboration.
In an exclusive interview with the Tehran Times during a ceremony at the Chinese Embassy in Tehran—celebrating the 98th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA)—Chinese Ambassador to Iran, Cong Peiwu, commended Iran’s active involvement in SCO events held in China over the past year.
“We have done a lot to promote the SCO agenda. We have designed altogether more than 100 different activities, and among them, dozens of ministerial-level events. And I’m glad Iran has actively participated in a lot of the events,” Ambassador Cong remarked.
He highlighted three core achievements of the organization under China’s leadership:
- Sustained Development: One of the SCO’s most significant recent successes is its capacity for sustained development, which is vital for enhancing the living standards of citizens across all member countries.
- Enhanced Security Cooperation: Ambassador Cong pointed out that the growing cooperation in security is crucial given the complex regional and international challenges, making such collaboration timely and essential.
- Cultural and Human Connections: The ambassador also underscored the increasing significance of people-to-people exchanges, which serve as a vital bond linking the populations of member states.
Additionally, Ambassador Cong underscored the importance of unity among developing countries. “The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, like BRICS, serves as an important platform to practice true multilateralism. If all countries—especially those in the Global South—can unite not just politically but also in economy, trade, culture, and security, we can create a formidable force for promoting true multilateralism and countering unilateralism and power politics,” he stated.
On July 31, during a press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun reiterated similar sentiments, elaborating on the accomplishments achieved during China’s SCO presidency. He stated, “First, cooperation in various sectors has been deepened. China has hosted over 100 events as SCO chair, with nearly half being institutional events covering diverse areas such as politics, security, military, economy and trade, investment, energy, education, connectivity, technological innovation, green industry, digital economy, and people-to-people exchanges.”
Guo also highlighted improvements in organizational mechanisms through collaborative efforts with member states. He emphasized the SCO’s unwavering commitment to its founding spirit while addressing significant global and regional issues: “The SCO has spoken up to uphold justice on major international and regional issues, firmly upheld the multilateral trading system, and strongly condemned the abuse of force.”
As the final preparations for the Tianjin summit are underway, it is anticipated that this event will signify a turning point in the SCO’s trajectory. “The summit will guide the SCO to enter a new stage of high-quality development characterized by greater solidarity, coordination, vitality, and contribution, and build a closer SCO community with a shared future,” Guo added.
With China steering the SCO through this pivotal phase, the organization is set to assume a more proactive role in fostering a cooperative and multipolar world, grounded in mutual respect and collective progress.
