Walking into the Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center in North China’s Tianjin Municipality, visitors were greeted by a spacious, brightly lit hall cooled by almost silent air conditioners, all powered by green energy.
The Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center was the venue for the just concluded Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. And the green energy-powered conference halls vividly highlighted the focus on green, sustainable development of the summit and broader SCO cooperation.
2025 has been designated as the SCO Year of Sustainable Development. Reflecting this theme, various efforts were made to ensure clean energy supply for the venue of the Tianjin Summit. Before the major event, the venue reached a deal with a local new-energy company for the supply of 1 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, all of which was green electricity. This was the first time that a SCO summit has achieved a full green electricity supply for the venue, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Green consensus
Green development was one of the most widely discussed topics throughout the summit.
On Monday, the SCO Council of Heads of State released a statement on cooperation in the green industry, emphasizing that protecting the ecological environment and promoting green development are important areas of cooperation among SCO member states, and recognizing the need to strengthen cooperation in green industries, per Xinhua.
For example, the statement called for enhancing cooperation in the research, development, application, and transfer of green technologies, as well as in project implementation and financing, including exploring the possibility of establishing relevant cooperation mechanisms. It also proposed studying the feasibility of developing unified green industry standards in line with international norms, Xinhua reported.
In his address at the meeting, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said that an "important priority is the expansion of partnerships in the field of the SCO’s 'green' transformation... I believe the statement on cooperation in the field of 'green' industry, adopted at the initiative of the Chinese side, to be timely,” according to the address shared by the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Beijing with the Global Times.
Also, during the summit, SCO members adopted a statement on strengthening investment cooperation in sustainable development, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Tuesday. The statement is a concrete measure to implement the “SCO Year of Sustainable Development” and fully reflects the strong willingness of member states to promote sustainable investment cooperation, the MOFCOM said.
In the statement, member states pledged to improve SCO cooperation mechanisms, develop low-carbon technologies, and expand renewable energy use to tackle climate change, according to the MOFCOM.
Notably, highlighting the host country’s commitment to promoting cooperation in green and sustainable development, at the summit, China vowed to establish new cooperation platforms and centers on energy, green industry, digital economy, scientific and technological innovation, higher education, and vocational and technical education. Action plans were also developed to promote high-quality development, covering fields including energy, green industry, digital economy, artificial intelligence and tech innovation, according to Xinhua.
And in sign of swift implementation, a green industry cooperation platform between China and the SCO was launched in Tianjin on Tuesday. The platform aims to deepen dialogue, promote project cooperation, and strengthen the alignment of green standards, according to CCTV News.
Chinese and foreign representatives and experts also welcomed the SCO Tianjin Summit’s green initiatives, calling them a win-win for all sides.
Baatarkhuu Khorloo, a Mongolian international relations expert and summit delegate, said that there is great potential for China and Mongolia to advance green transformation, given their high level of complementarity.
He noted that Mongolia has untapped wind and solar resources. While Mongolia seeks to build new-energy facilities, such as photovoltaic power stations, China has the capability to support these efforts. “Many Chinese companies have already invested in Mongolia, particularly in photovoltaics,” Khorloo said.
“China has strong advantages in new-energy equipment, especially new-energy vehicles, thanks to its advanced technology, low costs, and relatively convenient trade. Since last year, the number of green energy and electric vehicles imported from China to Mongolia has surged, now ranking among the top of all imported cars,” Khorloo added.
In addition to green energy generation, cooperation on green transportation is also accelerating among SCO members. Chinese bus maker Yutong Bus Co recently signed an agreement with its Pakistani partner for the purchase of 400 electric buses, marking the country’s largest single order for new-energy buses, its largest order in the bus segment, and its largest commercial bus order to date, the company told the Global Times.
Beyond exporting new-energy products, Chinese companies are also helping develop local expertise, offering sustained support for the region’s long-term green growth.
For example, China Datang Corporation and the Dongfang Electric Corporation, together with Uzbekistan's Ministry of Energy and its technical regulatory authority, have established a joint energy technology R&D center. While focusing on new energy and energy storage, the center also offers specialized training professionals in Uzbekistan's energy sectors, Xinhua reported.
Promising future
Member states of the SCO have achieved various progress regarding environmental protection cooperation, further promoting green and sustainable development among them, Guo Fang, China's vice minister of ecology and environment, said in a recent press conference, Xinhua reported.
The "China-SCO Renewable Energy Cooperation Report 2024" released during the SCO Energy Ministers Meeting in June showed that SCO member countries contribute half of the global renewable energy installed capacity. By the end of 2024, the renewable energy generation capacity of SCO member countries had reached 2.31 billion kilowatts, which is 14.5 times that of the organization's founding and accounts for approximately 50 percent of the global total. In 2024, the newly installed renewable energy capacity in SCO member countries reached 420 million kilowatts, accounting for about 72 percent of the global new renewable energy capacity, with China contributing over 370 million kilowatts.
Within the SCO framework, green and sustainable development is an important focus and one of the most promising areas for future cooperation, Yang Jin, deputy secretary-general of the SCO Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday. He noted that most SCO members are developing nations with urgent needs for green growth and industrial upgrading, creating a natural complementarity with China.
China brings technological strengths and a fully integrated industrial and supply chain, while SCO countries seek energy transition and industrial upgrading, Yang said. Beyond providing equipment, China also shares know-how by supporting the development of local skilled talent, helping these countries build a strong workforce for their industrial and technological advancement, the Chinese expert said.
Source: Global Times:
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