Erdoğan attends SCO summit with Gaza, new order in mind

Accompanied by a delegation of ministers, intelligence chief and a representative of government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived in China early Sunday for Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. The two-day summit brings together Türkiye’s partners in Organization of Turkic States (OTS) and friends, as well as Armenia which seeks normalizing ties with Ankara.

Twenty heads of state and government attend the summit in China’s Tianjin hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Media outlets reported that Erdoğan at the summit will raise awareness to situation in Gaza amid Israel’s atrocities and reiterates readiness to mediate peace between Russia and Ukraine, at the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Erdoğan is also expected touch upon the need for changes in global system at the summit which will be watched carefully by Western powers. On the sidelines of the summit, Erdoğan will hold bilateral talks with leaders.

‘Building bridges’

The day the president arrived in China, People’s Daily of the country released an article penned by Erdoğan. In the article, Erdoğan noted Türkiye’s role for centuries as a country “building bridges and bringing civilizations together.”

“At the core of our foreign policy lies the establishment of trust, maintaining open channels of communication, and demonstrating a resolute commitment to resolving crises. With this understanding, we contribute significantly to both regional and global stability, striving tirelessly for peace, stability, and dialogue to prevail,” Erdoğan said in the article. He gave examples of solutions to mitigate the impact of global crises, pointing out to Black Sea Grain Initiative.

“This initiative ensured food security for millions of people around the world. By bringing the parties together for peace negotiations in Antalya and Istanbul, we were able to maintain diplomatic traffic while also ensuring the opening of humanitarian corridors. We also played a critical role in prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine. Most recently, by hosting the renewed peace talks in Istanbul in July 2025, we further expanded our contribution to the process. Guided by the principle that “There are no winners in war and no losers in a fair peace,” we continue to pursue our peace diplomacy with patience,” Erdoğan said.

Türkiye pursues a delicate diplomacy, balancing national interests with establishing friendly ties with all countries regardless of their alignments in a world where Cold War-era polarization occasionally rears its ugly head. Ankara’s efforts to boost ties with China and Russia were interpreted as walking away with longtime alignment with Western world but Türkiye denies it and regularly courts and courted by the said world although differences remain.

Erdoğan is a fervent critic of the current world order, especially the structure of the United Nations that he sees as an obstacle for a fairer representation of wider international community. He sums it up with an oft-repeated slogan, “world is bigger than five,” in reference to the five members of the powerful United Nations Security Council.

“Our world is shaken by crises of unprecedented scale and complexity. Unfortunately, the current international system falls short in addressing these crises and in safeguarding the rights of the innocent. The events unfolding in Gaza, including the brutality and genocide committed by Israel, stand as some of the most striking examples of this reality. Türkiye’s stance on Gaza is clear because human beings and human rights are at the centre of our politics. Our efforts to ensure the security of the civilian population, uninterrupted access to humanitarian aid, and a lasting cease-fire continue to increase. While providing humanitarian aid to those in need on the ground, we also continue to utilise diplomacy to promote the implementation of a cease-fire and the protection of innocent civilians. The guarantee of a lasting peace on the Palestinian issue is evident to us: a fully independent and sovereign Palestinian State must be established, based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The establishment of a Palestinian State is essential for achieving lasting peace throughout the region,” Erdoğan said in his article. “Steps towards regional peace must be taken on multiple fronts. Economic ties, infrastructure projects, energy collaborations, and cultural exchange are all institutional elements that contribute to building trust. Through its projects in various geographies, Türkiye will continue to be an actor in improving global stability, expanding humanitarian aid capacity, and developing solutions on multilateral platforms,” he added.

Erdoğan said the summit of SCO would provide an important platform for Türkiye to voice its views on regional and global issues.

“As a Dialogue Partner at this summit, Türkiye regards it as a fundamental responsibility to bring to the fore the necessity of reshaping regional peace, development, security, and economic matters, as well as justice, equity, and a more inclusive understanding of the global order in international relations,” he said.

Türkiye joined the SCO as a Dialogue Partner in 2013 and was granted the chairmanship of the international body’s energy club in 2016 for a one-year period. Ankara has previously voiced the desire for full membership of the SCO, and last year, Erdoğan affirmed this goal while underlining that they would not consider it as an alternative to Türkiye’s membership of NATO and pursuit of accession to the European Union. Currently, it is the only NATO member among the dialogue partners of the SCO and the only country on the path to EU accession.

“Türkiye and the People’s Republic of China, with their strong state traditions, determined approach to development, and expanding economies, represent two ancient civilizations on the eastern and western edges of the Asian continent. The history of relations between our peoples extends back thousands of years. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and the People’s Republic of China in 1971, comprehensive political, economic, social and cultural relations have shown steady development. We attach great importance to furthering this deep-rooted and close cooperation, based on mutual respect and a win-win approach,” Erdoğan said in his article.

“As Türkiye, we shape the present with the strength and experience gained in the past, and we build the future on the foundation of peace, trust, and cooperation. Each step we take, starting with our region, opens up new horizons for the globe. As we go through “strange times,” we will continue to shoulder responsibility with the determination to build trust, keep channels of dialogue open, and resolve crises. We believe that the consolidation of the international community, in which the People’s Republic of China plays a leading role, around a collective conscience and common interests will pave the way for a fairer and more prosperous world,” the president concluded.

At the end of the summit, leaders are expected to sign the Tianjin Declaration and approve a 10-year strategy, alongside outcome documents on security, trade, energy and cultural cooperation.

The summit will also issue statements on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the founding of the UN.

The SCO evolved from the “Shanghai Five” mechanism comprising China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan before Uzbekistan joined as the sixth member. Today, it includes 10 member states, two observers and 14 dialogue partners across Asia, Europe and Africa.

The organization covers approximately 24% of global land area and 42% of the world’s population, with member states accounting for roughly one-quarter of global GDP and trade increasing nearly 100-fold in two decades.

China’s trade with SCO members, observers and dialogue partners reached a record $890 billion in 2024, or 14.4% of its total foreign trade.

The previous SCO leaders’ summit was held in Kazakhstan in July 2024, where 25 strategic documents were adopted covering energy, security, finance and information security.