Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has a pre-SCO summit sit-down with China's Xi Jinping.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey is attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in China, marking an engagement with the regional organization despite global crises straining international relations. The summit, which is taking place amid mounting geopolitical pressures, including Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza, the prolonged conflict in Ukraine, and escalating international trade disputes, is a major regional gathering that brings together leaders from across Asia and beyond.
The SCO represents approximately 42% of the world's population and spans Asia, Europe, and Africa, covering roughly 24% of global land area. The current full member states of the organization are China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Belarus, with Turkey holding dialogue partner status. Uzbekistan joined the SCO as the sixth founding member, growing from the "Shanghai Five" grouping to include 10 full member states.
Xi Jinping, the Chinese President, is hosting China's fifth annual SCO summit as the organization's rotating chair. Erdogan will attend the 25th Heads of State Council meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a guest of honor. Upon his arrival at Binhai International Airport, Erdogan was greeted by Chinese Minister Lei Haichao and Türkiye's Ambassador to Beijing Selcuk Unal.
The Turkish delegation includes First Lady Emine Erdogan, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin. Erdogan will participate in Monday's expanded summit session and hold bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and other world leaders.
The SCO has two observers and 14 dialogue partners, including Turkey. The organization has seen significant growth in trade volumes over the past two decades, with volumes nearly 100-fold since its inception. The member states account for approximately one-quarter of global GDP, making the SCO a significant player in the international economic landscape.
While the summit is a key event in regional politics, it is noteworthy that Selcuk Bayraktar, a Turkish official, confirmed Akinci UAV production in Saudi Arabia by 2025. However, this information is not directly related to the SCO summit.
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