Iran goes to Beijing (again) for SCO Foreign Ministers Dialogue; Translation of Wang Yi's Remarks
Iran’s Foreign Minister went to Beijing (again) for (another) Shanghai Cooperation Organization event—this time the meeting of SCO foreign ministers. It’s the second major SCO gathering since the 12-day war and another opportunity for Iran to make its case to skeptical, but listening, partners.
A few quick notable takeaways:
Concern over the Middle East:
Wang expressed sharp concern about instability in the Middle East, condemning the use of force against Iran and casting it as a violation of international law and a threat to the nuclear non-proliferation regime. He pointed the finger at the U.S. strikes, likely because Tehran threatened to withdraw from the NPT in response. But that logic is selective: Iran’s own pursuit of a bomb is just as much a threat to the regime—and China has publicly opposed that too. The point here isn’t consistency. Beijing will lean into whichever argument scores the most geopolitical points and helps it posture as a counterweight to Washington.
Multipolarity:
Wang Yi described the world as increasingly multipolar, casting the SCO as central to shaping that shift. He framed multipolarity as a corrective to hegemonism and unilateralism, echoing Beijing’s familiar rhetoric about building a global order where developing countries and regional blocs like the SCO have more influence.
Value Chains
Wang emphasized the need for SCO countries to strengthen industrial, supply, and value chains among member states. This has taken on greater urgency amid the global scramble for critical minerals and their emergence as a flashpoint in the U.S.-China tariff war. China frames deeper economic integration within the SCO as a path to regional resilience and reduced dependence on Western markets. But given the economic realities of most SCO members, this looks less like mutual resilience and more like deepening their dependence on China itself.
Afghanistan Reconstruction:
This point fascinated me. Wang referred to Afghanistan as a valued member of the "SCO family" and stressed that SCO countries have a collective responsibility to support its reconstruction and address both immediate instability and long-term development. Since the U.S. withdrawal, China has largely shouldered the burden of Afghanistan’s economic stabilization—but with little return. It would much rather spread that cost. Beijing’s framing of SCO involvement in post-conflict rebuilding suggests it is looking to repurpose the organization for that task. At the same time, China is struggling to contain instability along its Myanmar border, where many of its critical mineral interests are under threat. Drawing more support for Afghanistan frees up China’s bandwidth to manage other crises elsewhere.
Full translated readout below:
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on July 15, 2025, Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister, presided over the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states in Tianjin. Belarusian Foreign Minister Rezhenkov, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi, Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nurtlev, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Kurubaev, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, Tajik Foreign Minister Muhriddin, Uzbek Foreign Minister Saidov, SCO Secretary-General Yermekbayev, and SCO Regional Anti-Terrorism Agency Executive Committee Director Sharsheyev attended the meeting.
Wang Yi said that over the past 24 years since the establishment of the SCO, under the strategic guidance of the leaders of member states, the SCO has maintained a steady and positive development momentum, continuously expanded areas of cooperation, continuously enhanced its international reputation, and become more prominent in terms of strategic value. It has become a reliable support for member states to maintain regional stability and achieve common development.
Wang Yi said that at present, the century-old changes are accelerating, and turbulence and change are intertwined and resonating. The world is becoming more multipolar and economic globalization is deepening, and the global South is growing significantly. At the same time, hegemony and power are going against the trend, protectionism is surging, and regional conflicts are emerging one after another. Under the new situation, member states should form a further consensus on strengthening the construction of the SCO in a responsible attitude towards history and the future.
Wang Yi put forward five suggestions for the future development of the SCO:
First, we must not forget our original aspirations and carry forward the "Shanghai Spirit". The "Shanghai Spirit" is the "root" and "soul" of the SCO. "Mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations, and pursuit of common development" is what a new type of international relations should look like, and it is also the original aspiration of the establishment of the SCO. In the future journey, member states should further carry forward the "Shanghai Spirit", enhance the cohesion, action and appeal of the organization, do a good job and achieve success, and build the SCO into a model of mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation.
Second, we should share the responsibility of safety and security and lay a solid foundation for security. The "three forces" in the region continue to cause chaos, new threats and challenges emerge one after another, and the security situation remains complex and severe. The SCO needs to respond effectively. China is deeply concerned about the situation in the Middle East. The use of force to infringe on Iran's sovereignty and security is a clear violation of international law and an impact on the international nuclear non-proliferation system. Afghanistan is an important member of the "SCO family". We must help Afghanistan rebuild and develop, and address both the symptoms and the root causes to achieve long-term peace and stability.
Third, mutual benefit and win-win results drive the development engine. Development is the hard truth and the master key to solving all problems. The SCO should fully tap its potential, strengthen the industrial chain, stabilize the supply chain, enhance the value chain, create growth points in economic and trade investment, interconnection, scientific and technological innovation, green industry, and digital economy, and achieve sustainable development with "no one left behind".
Fourth, be friendly and good neighbors and build a beautiful home together. The surrounding areas are the place where countries live and work, and the foundation for development and prosperity. Relatives wish each other well, and neighbors wish each other well. To achieve good neighborliness is to help oneself. Being friendly and good neighbors should be the common practice of member states. In April this year, China held a central work conference on neighboring countries, and it was determined that China will follow the concept and policy of good neighborliness, safe neighborliness, prosperous neighborliness, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, and sharing a common destiny, and is committed to building a "five major homes" of peace, tranquility, prosperity, beauty and friendship with neighboring countries.
Fifth, we must stick to the right path and defend fairness and justice. Some countries put their own selfish interests above the international public interest, undermining the common interests of the international community. The SCO should take the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations as an opportunity to firmly safeguard the authority and role of the United Nations, advocate an equal and orderly world multipolarization, and inclusive economic globalization, promote the common values of all mankind, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of member states, and promote the construction of a more just and reasonable global governance system.
Wang Yi thanked all member states for their support for China's work as the rotating presidency. He expressed his belief that with everyone's joint efforts, the Tianjin Summit will be a complete success and the SCO will enter a new stage of high-quality development with greater unity, greater collaboration, greater dynamism and greater effectiveness.
All parties attending the meeting spoke highly of China's outstanding work and positive results as the rotating chair, and expressed their willingness to coordinate and cooperate with China to jointly host the Tianjin Summit. All parties fully affirmed the important role played by the SCO in consolidating strategic mutual trust among member states, promoting regional development and prosperity, maintaining common security, and deepening people-to-people exchanges. All parties agreed that in the face of a turbulent international situation, the "Shanghai Spirit" should be further promoted, solidarity and cooperation should be strengthened, national sovereignty and territorial integrity should be safeguarded, the "three forces" should be combated, cooperation in various fields should be expanded, dialogues among different civilizations should be promoted, the authority of the United Nations should be jointly upheld, unilateralism should be opposed, hot issues should be resolved through dialogue and negotiation, and new contributions should be made to promoting world peace and development.
Wang Yi and SCO Secretary-General Yermekbayev jointly met with reporters after the meeting. Wang Yi announced that the SCO summit will be held in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1, which is the top priority of the Chinese presidency. More than 20 national leaders and heads of 10 international organizations will attend the summit-related activities.
The meeting made comprehensive preparations for the Tianjin Summit and signed a number of resolutions, including the draft Tianjin Declaration of the Council of Heads of State and the draft development strategy of the SCO for the next ten years.