His Excellency President Dr Mohamed Muizzu departed for the People’s Republic of China on Friday, August 29, 2025, accepting an invitation extended by His Excellency President Xi Jinping to attend the 25th‑Annual Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), held in Tianjin from 2025 August 31 to September 1 .
This year’s SCO Summit gathers more than twenty world leaders in what is being called the largest edition of the conference since its founding in 2001. Distinguished attendees include Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, making his first visit to China in over seven years, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, among others
Throughout his visit, President Muizzu will conduct bilateral meetings with President Xi and fellow dignitaries, participate in high‑level sessions, and deliver remarks at the SCO Plus gathering. In his address, he intends to emphasise the vital role of collaborative multilateralism in confronting shared global challenges, particularly climate change, economic fragmentation, and escalating geopolitical tensions
The SCO itself, established in June 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, has since expanded to include ten full member states, with several participating as observers or dialogue partners. The Maldives holds the status of a dialogue partner since May 2023, a designation formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Goa, India. This designation enables the Maldives to participate actively in specialised SCO engagements across diverse sectors such as trade, investment, health, environment, climate, science, technology, and tourism.
The SCO’s global footprint is immense, covering approximately 24% of the world’s land area and representing around 42% of global population. Economically, SCO member states account for nearly 23% of global GDP by nominal value and approximately 36% when measured by purchasing power parity.
President Dr. Muizzu’s participation not only highlights the Maldives’ growing diplomatic engagement but also positions the nation within a broader Eurasian framework. The summit, set against the port city of Tianjin and presided over by Xi Jinping, promises to foster dialogues on security, economy, and geopolitical cooperation, anchoring the Maldives firmly in the conversation on global multilateral priorities
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