China-UAE relations can help bolster one of the world's largest groupings

Last year's Shanghai Co-operation Organisation summit was held in Astana, Kazakhstan. Getty

This year marks the “Year of China” for the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation. Having assumed the SCO’s rotating presidency, China will host the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State involving the organisation’s members in Tianjin on Sunday and Monday.

Last month, the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting was held in Tianjin. Chinese President Xi Jinping met the participating foreign ministers, emphasising the importance of remembering the organisation’s founding mission and being the torchbearers of the “Shanghai Spirit”, which includes responding to people’s expectations and acting to enhance co-operation, shouldering the mission of our times and being dedicated practitioners in building a community with a shared future for humankind. This spirit will guide the SCO into a new era to further determine its direction, strengthen its confidence, act effectively and achieve greater results.

Over the past 24 years, the “Shanghai Spirit” has helped to forge a glorious legacy. During this period, the SCO, which upholds this spirit of “mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilisations and the pursuit of common development”, has grown from its initial six members to a 26-nation “big family”. It spans more than 36 million square kilometres and accounts for 42 per cent of the global population, making it the world’s most representative and dynamic regional organisation.

UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed has stated his country's willingness to build bridges for enhancing co-operation among member states and achieving shared goals. Wam

During his meeting with the foreign ministers, Mr Xi noted that the organisation has continued to mature and grow, forging a path of regional co-operation that conforms to the trends of the times and meets the needs of all parties, setting an example for a new type of international relations. The continued expansion of the SCO’s “circle of friends” demonstrates the vitality of the “Shanghai Spirit”, and the “roots” and “soul” of the SCO, and will surely lead the organisation to even greater success.

The “Tianjin Moment” ushers in a new chapter.

As the birthplace and founding member of the SCO, China has always placed the organisation at the forefront of its diplomatic agenda. Since assuming the rotating presidency in July last year, guided by Mr Xi’s vision of building the “five common homes” of unity and mutual trust, security and tranquillity, prosperity and development, good neighbourliness and friendship, and fairness and justice, China has carried out more than 100 activities in the political, security, economic and people-to-people exchange fields, laying the groundwork for the upcoming summit.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the summit will be the largest in the SCO’s history. Leaders of more than 20 countries and heads of 10 international organisations will attend related activities to summarise experiences, chart a new path and enable the SCO to embark on a new journey from China. We believe that with the joint efforts of all parties, the summit will be a grand event that showcases unity, friendship and fruitful achievements. The SCO will surely enter a new stage of high-quality development characterised by greater unity, collaboration, vitality and effectiveness.

China-UAE co-operation is multifaceted and extensive, creating more space for the SCO’s continued development

Shouldering the responsibility of justice, China-UAE co-operation is empowering the SCO. Since becoming a dialogue partner in May 2023, the UAE has actively participated in the organisation’s development, demonstrating its commitment to promoting the “Shanghai Spirit”.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, upon the UAE’s inception as a dialogue partner, clearly stated its willingness to build bridges for enhancing co-operation among member states and achieving shared goals. As a key hub and gateway in the Middle East, as well as a pioneer in transformational development in the region, the UAE connects the world while also connecting with the future.

China-UAE co-operation is multifaceted and extensive, creating more space for the SCO’s continued development. The two countries can further use their comparative advantages – in areas such as energy security, development finance, green development, digital economy and connectivity – to enhance the SCO’s co-operative development framework.

The road is not lonely; shared progress leads to greater success. And on this journey, China is willing to work with the UAE to implement the important consensus reached by their leaders.

This includes invoking the “Shanghai Spirit” through bilateral co-operation, with the purpose of powering the SCO’s wheels, jointly promoting the construction of the organisation’s “five homes”, and building a closer community with a shared future as well as fostering a more just and reasonable global governance system.