Xi's trip hailed as catalyst for global certainty, cooperation

Officials and experts worldwide lauded President Xi Jinping's recent trip to Africa and Central Asia, noting that Xi's visit injected much-needed certainty and positive momentum into efforts to ease regional tensions and promote global peace and development.

Xi returned to Beijing on Thursday after attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit 2026 in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, and making state visits to Kyrgyzstan and Egypt.

In his speech at the 26th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in Bishkek, Xi put forward a four-point proposal, urging the SCO to shoulder its historical responsibility and steer the course for the future.

Xi called on the organization to stay committed to putting development first, and open up the prospects for shared prosperity; stay committed to taking security as a key goal and foster an environment of common security; stay committed to a people-centered approach and cement the foundation for everlasting friendship; and stay committed to dialogue and consultation, while striving for more equitable and orderly governance.

Tahir Farooq, president of Daily Ittehad Media Group and the Pakistan Economic Network, described Xi's remarks as "timely and constructive, particularly in outlining a vision for the future of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and for broader global cooperation".

"His four-point proposal rightly places development, security, people-to-people relations and dialogue at the center of sustainable peace and prosperity. President Xi's message reinforces the importance of multilateralism at a time when the international community is facing increasing uncertainty and geopolitical tensions," Farooq said.

Karori Singh, former director of the South Asia Studies Centre at the University of Rajasthan in India, noted that in his speech, Xi underscored four interconnected major points — development, security, a people-centered approach, and the principle of equality in governance through dialogue and consultation. "That is the secret of SCO's success," Singh said.

Lawrence Loh, director of the Centre for Governance and Sustainability at the National University of Singapore Business School, said that Xi has laid out a clear and coherent road map for regions and countries around the world to join hands in achieving the common good for all, which will lay the foundation for global unity through peaceful means.

"At these times of increasing global fragmentation, the SCO presents a viable platform for purpose-driven collaboration among its member countries and those outside the consortium as well," said Loh.

Paul Frimpong, executive director of the Africa-China Centre for Policy & Advisory, a think tank based in Ghana, highlighted Xi's emphasis on development and the evolving direction of development cooperation.

"We are now talking not only about infrastructure and trade, but increasingly about AI, the digital economy, green industries and technological cooperation. I think this is quite significant for the wider Global South," Frimpong said.

Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan's permanent representative to the United Nations, praised China's important role in global governance through the four global initiatives — the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative.

"And coupled with that, a deep attachment and commitment to the UN and respect for international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter," he said.

During his state visit to Egypt, Xi raised a four-point proposal on building a new security architecture in the Middle East, offering a Chinese solution for achieving long-term peace and stability in the region.

Xi put forward the proposal in his talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, calling for unleashing internal drivers, advancing an integrated approach, cementing the foundation of development and enhancing international coordination.

Rasha Al Joundy, a senior researcher at the Dubai Public Policy Research Centre in the United Arab Emirates, said Xi's visit to Egypt came at a critical juncture as escalating tensions between the US and Iran have threatened regional security, with major risks to maritime safety and the global economy.

Against this backdrop, she said, the proposal serves as a credible initiative to safeguard stability and prevent tensions from worsening.

"By putting forward this new security architecture at such a delicate moment, President Xi signals a concrete plan and China's active role in the process. China's mediation behind the Saudi-Iran de-escalation deal remains a landmark step toward Gulf stability."

Abdulaziz Alshaabani, a researcher at the Al Riyadh Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Saudi Arabia, said the four-point proposal highlights a fundamental reality: Achieving durable Middle East peace requires not only conflict management, but also the broader building blocks of stability, including development, security and regional cooperation.

Minlu Zhang in New York and Edith Mutethya in Nairobi contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at vivienxu@chinadailyapac.com