Xi returns to Central Asia as SCO turns 25. Can it move beyond talk?

Chinese President Xi Jinping is in Bishkek this week for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. The meeting marks the bloc’s 25th anniversary. Analysts say Xi’s presence puts a key question in focus: can this increasingly diverse group move beyond diplomatic statements? The summit comes as Washington shifts its strategic attention elsewhere. At the same time, energy and grain supply disruptions continue to unsettle the Middle East. Against this backdrop, Beijing’s growing footprint across Central Asia is expected to be a central topic of discussion among the member states.