Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to strengthen the role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) during talks on the sidelines of the organization’s summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, as Beijing and Moscow seek closer strategic coordination amid growing tensions with Washington and its allies.

The two leaders met on Monday during the SCO summit, where they discussed the future of the organization as well as bilateral relations and international and regional developments.

Xi said the SCO has an important role to play in safeguarding regional stability and promoting economic and social development at a time of growing uncertainty in the international system.

According to a Chinese readout of the meeting, Xi said China was prepared to work with all SCO members, including Russia, to promote the organization’s long-term development and strengthen its role in advancing reforms to global governance and a more equal and orderly multipolar world.

Putin, meanwhile, called for greater solidarity and cooperation between Russia and China within the SCO, saying the two countries should play a guiding role in strengthening the organization.

Putin Hails China-Russia Relations

The Russian president also praised the development of bilateral relations with Beijing, describing the partnership as a model for relations between states.

Putin said Moscow was ready to expand cooperation with China in a range of sectors, including trade, energy, industry, transportation, science and technology.

Xi said government departments in both countries were actively implementing initiatives agreed upon during Putin’s state visit to China in May and that the cooperation had already produced substantial results.

“We believe that under our strategic guidance and the joint efforts of both sides, the foundation of China-Russia relations will become more solid, the pace of development more steadfast, and the prospects even brighter,” Xi said.

During Putin’s May visit, the two countries extended the 2001 Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation and signed several cooperation documents and joint statements covering strategic coordination and the promotion of a multipolar world.

Trade and Energy Cooperation

Economic cooperation remains a central component of the China-Russia partnership. Bilateral trade has rebounded this year after declining in 2025, with trade during the first half of 2026 increasing by around 25 percent year on year. The total value for the first seven months of the year approached $159 billion, according to official Chinese data.

Energy cooperation is also expected to remain a major issue, particularly the proposed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline.

The project would allow Russia to transport up to 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually to China through Mongolia and is viewed by Moscow as a key component of its eastward economic pivot following the loss of many European energy markets.

However, the two sides have yet to reach final agreements on issues including gas pricing, financing, supply commitments and construction schedules.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in May that Moscow and Beijing had reached an understanding regarding the route and construction method, but a final commercial contract had not yet been signed.

International and Regional Issues

Xi and Putin also discussed international and regional issues of mutual interest, although the Chinese readout did not provide details.

China has maintained its position of calling for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine while declining to condemn Russia’s invasion. Beijing has also rejected Western allegations that it is supporting Russia’s defense-industrial base.

The Russian delegation at Monday’s talks included Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk and other senior officials.

The presence of Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov, Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev, Russian Direct Investment Fund chief executives and representatives of the Rosatom state corporation also highlighted the potential importance of economic, energy and technological cooperation.

SCO Seeks Greater Global Role

Xi and Putin have met in person more than 40 times since 2013 and have described their relationship as a “no limits” partnership since February 2022.

Although Moscow and Beijing present their partnership as a strategic counterweight to Western pressure, they have stopped short of describing it as a formal alliance. Russia’s dependence on China has increased as the Ukraine war has disrupted Moscow’s economic and diplomatic ties with Western countries.

Both countries have also promoted the SCO as a platform for advancing a more multipolar international system.

Founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the organization has since expanded to include India, Pakistan, Iran and Belarus.

The SCO has traditionally focused on security cooperation, but Chinese state media has increasingly portrayed the organization as a broader platform for trade, connectivity, digital development and global governance.

Despite its expanding membership, the SCO remains a relatively loose grouping, with member states divided over major geopolitical issues, including the wars in Ukraine and Iran, relations with Russia and the organization’s relationship with Western powers.

The meeting between Xi and Putin nevertheless underscored the importance both leaders attach to strengthening the SCO and deepening China-Russia coordination as the global balance of power continues to shift. (ILKHA)