On October 24, 2025, the China–SCO Investment Cooperation Forum convened in Beijing, bringing together more than 300 participants from across the region to discuss practical steps for expanding SCO investment ties. The event was organised by the Secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization together with the China Overseas Development Association and received backing from the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Zone in Qingdao and other partners.
The forum provided an active platform for heads of diplomatic missions accredited in China, senior executives of industrial and investment firms, representatives of business associations from China and other SCO countries, and members of the media to examine the evolving investment landscape. Discussions repeatedly returned to the growing intra-regional nature of capital flows and the need for targeted measures to improve the investment climate within the SCO community.
Nurlan Yermekbayev, Secretary General of the SCO, stressed in his welcome address the high priority member states place on strengthening mutual investment activity. He noted that current geoeconomic conditions have made intra-regional cooperation and SCO investment a strategic priority for sustaining trade and development across member states.
Participants highlighted complementary initiatives already underway, including the SCO Special Working Group on Investment, which is permanently chaired by Tajikistan, and the Association of Investors of SCO Member States, initiated by Kazakhstan. Delegates underlined that the full potential of SCO investment could be unlocked through swift implementation of agreements reached at the Tianjin Summit on September 1 regarding the establishment of an SCO Development Bank by interested member states.
China’s active role in promoting investment across the SCO region featured prominently in the dialogue, with organisers encouraging businesses to use the forum to present opportunities and identify concrete projects. The panel session, held as an “Ambassadors’ Dialogue,” saw senior diplomats share insights on their countries’ investment environments, priority sectors for cooperation, and potential cross-border projects.
The forum also created space for bilateral meetings between diplomats and companies interested in investing across the SCO community, which currently includes 27 states. For Pakistani investors and policymakers, the meeting underscored new avenues to explore joint ventures, infrastructure projects, and trade-related investments that align with regional development goals. Overall, the Beijing forum reinforced the role of SCO investment as a catalyst for deeper economic ties and practical cooperation among member states.
