At the 25th SCO Summit in Tianjin, Chinese President Xi Jinping publicly endorsed Azerbaijan’s bid for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. This endorsement came as Azerbaijan and China signed multiple bilateral agreements aimed at boosting infrastructure, AI, finances, and media cooperation. Against a backdrop of shifting geopolitical alliances and the growing significance of Eurasian connectivity, Beijing’s backing not only increases Azerbaijan’s regional importance but also signals the SCO’s evolving inclusivity and strategic focus.

President Ilham Aliyev’s participation stood out not only for its diplomatic symbolism but also for the concrete agreements secured with Beijing. The two sides committed to expanding cooperation in infrastructure, transport, artificial intelligence, finance, and media, agreements that underscore Azerbaijan’s growing role as a logistical and technological hub at the heart of Eurasia. Strengthening the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and advancing Belt and Road cooperation demonstrate how Baku is transforming its geography into an economic and political advantage.

Speaking to Azernews, Chairman of the Belt and Road Initiative for Sustainable Development (BRISD), Qaiser Nawab, described the Tianjin summit as an important milestone for Azerbaijan’s evolving regional and global role. He emphasized that China’s support for Azerbaijan’s full membership reflects not only routine diplomacy but a recognition of Baku’s growing importance as a trusted partner in Eurasia’s connectivity and development.

The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin marked an important moment in Azerbaijan’s evolving regional and global role. President Ilham Aliyev’s participation stood out not merely for its diplomatic symbolism, but for the strategic signals it sent about Baku’s growing centrality in Eurasia’s shifting power architecture. In a meeting with President Xi Jinping, China gave explicit support to Azerbaijan’s aspiration to join the SCO as a full member, an endorsement that places Baku firmly in the crosshairs of the region’s emerging multilateral framework.

The support expressed by Beijing goes beyond routine summitry. It reflects a recognition of Azerbaijan’s growing weight as both a political actor and a logistical hub that links East and West. The SCO, historically dominated by China, Russia, and Central Asian states, has increasingly become a platform for non-Western cooperation and dialogue. For Azerbaijan, gaining full membership would mean formal inclusion in an organization that is rapidly becoming a........

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