0 New Update

Introduction

This live blog has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial.

China is hosting the annualShanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the northern port city of Tianjin, to be attended by dozens of world leaders and chiefs of international organisations.

On Monday, President Xi Jinping kicked off the official meeting with leaders of SCO member nations including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The grouping was founded in 2001 as a Eurasian security bloc with six original members – China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. With the addition of Belarus, India, Iran and Pakistan, it now has 10 member states.

Its scope has broadened to include issues concerning trade and economics and is viewed as an Asian counterweight to the West.

At the summit, leaders are expected to sign a declaration and agree to strengthen security, economic and cultural cooperation.