China's Xi arrives in Kyrgyzstan for SCO summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek on Sunday for the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, kicking off a regional tour that will also take him to Egypt for a state visit, according to Chinese state media. Xi traveled at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

Delegation details

Xi's entourage includes his wife Peng Liyuan, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Cai Qi, who serves as director of the Communist Party of China General Office, Xinhua News reported. "Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in Bishkek on Sunday for the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit and a state visit to Kyrgyzstan," the state-run outlet said.

Anniversary summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif are also expected in the Kyrgyz capital on Monday for the two-day gathering. The summit marks 25 years since the regional bloc was established to balance Western global influence, bringing together Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus.

Kremlin spokesperson Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Putin is expected to hold separate bilateral talks with Pezeshkian and Xi on the sidelines of the summit. The meetings come as the SCO continues to expand its economic and security cooperation across Central Asia.