Tianjin, Aug 31 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday attended the official reception for Heads of State and Government at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China. Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, welcomed Modi on his arrival, where they shook hands and posed for photographs. Modi then joined other world leaders for the traditional family photo.
The SCO, established in Shanghai on June 15, 2001, is a permanent intergovernmental organisation. Its current member states include China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Belarus. It also has two observer states — Afghanistan and Mongolia — along with 14 dialogue partners, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.
Earlier in the day, Modi held a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping. The two leaders underscored the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in border areas while reaffirming their commitment to cooperation based on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity. “Had a fruitful meeting with President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. We reviewed the positive momentum in India-China relations since our last meeting in Kazan,” Modi wrote in a post on X.
During his stay, the Prime Minister also met Cai Qi, Politburo Standing Committee member, and discussed ways to enhance bilateral economic, political and people-to-people exchanges between India and China.
On the sidelines of the summit, Modi engaged in a series of interactions with regional leaders. He met Myanmar’s State Security and Peace Commission Chairman, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, underlining India’s commitment to fostering closer regional cooperation.
Prime Minister Modi arrived in Tianjin on Saturday from Tokyo after concluding his Japan visit. He was accorded a colourful and warm welcome at Binhai International Airport, ahead of the two-day summit which brings together leaders from across Eurasia and South Asia to deliberate on security, economic, and regional cooperation.