The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation said its members, who include China, India, Russia and Iran, "strongly condemn acts causing civilian casualties and humanitarian disasters in Gaza", according to a statement published by Xinhua news agency.
The 10 member states of the SCO said on Monday they strongly condemned US and Israeli strikes on Iran in June, according to a statement issued after their summit in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin.
"Member states express deep concern over escalating Israeli-Palestinian conflict; strongly condemn acts causing civilian casualties and humanitarian disasters in Gaza; call for comprehensive, lasting ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian aid," it said.
They also "strongly condemn the June 2025 Israeli and US military aggression on Iran targeting civilian nuclear infrastructure causing casualties (and) violation of international law and UN Charter principles," the statement added.
Cooperation in security, economy
The SCO leaders also adopted 24 documents to strengthen cooperation in security, economy and cultural exchanges.
China’s President Xi Jinping hosted the two-day summit of SCO leaders as well as “SCO plus,” bringing together some 20 heads of state and government, besides leaders of international organisations.
It was the largest gathering of the SCO as well as the fifth time hosted by China since the bloc was formed in 2001.
The leaders also adopted a 10-year SCO Development Strategy until 2035, which “defines the priority tasks and main directions for deepening multifaceted cooperation in the interests of ensuring peace and stability, development and prosperity in the SCO space,” read the joint statement, dubbed as the Tianjin Declaration.
Amid the US tariffs, which have roiled international markets, the SCO leaders expressed support for the multilateral trading system.
They also marked the 80th anniversary of World War II victory and of the founding of the UN, the declaration added.
Record trade
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 organisation covers approximately 24 percent of global land area and 42 percent 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 percent of its total foreign trade.
At the Tianjin summit, the SCO member states decided to combine the statuses of "observer" and "dialogue partner" into a single status of "SCO Partner.”
Laos was accepted as a new “SCO partner” at the Tianjin summit.
