Overview

• Xi Jinping opened bilateral talks in Tianjin as delegations arrive for what officials describe as the largest Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit since 2001.
• The guest list includes Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Narendra Modi and UN Secretary‑General António Guterres, with some leaders invited to remain in China through the Sept. 3 parade.
• North Korean leader Kim Jong‑un is expected in Beijing for the ceremonies, a rare foreign trip that regional media say would be his first public appearance alongside Xi and Putin.
• Beijing promotes the events as a show of strength that underwrites peace and as a model of alternative multilateralism, though the SCO’s cohesion and operational role remain limited.
• Bloomberg reports that Putin may seek talks with Xi on the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, while China has not provided a formal commitment.