Published by ChinaMNC · Pingluo

What the SCO Heads of Government Meeting in Dushanbe Signals for Foreign Founders Building in China

A brief from the 25th SCO Heads of Government Council meeting in Dushanbe, rewritten for foreign founders: where cross-border trade, transport and investment cooperation is heading, and how to read it for China-based operations.

Why a Dushanbe Summit Belongs on a Founder's Radar

On 20 October, Premier Li Qiang attended the 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Dushanbe. The meeting was chaired by Tajik Prime Minister Rasulzoda and brought together SCO member state leaders and representatives, guests of the host country, and heads of relevant international organisations. For a foreign founder running or registering a company in China, the practical relevance lies less in the protocol and more in the cooperation documents approved at the end — trade and investment, industry, and connectivity.

Twenty-Five Years, and a Summit Track Record

Li noted that 2026 marks the SCO's 25th anniversary, and that the September summit in Bishkek produced a series of important outcomes that added momentum to peace and development. He also acknowledged that instability and uncertainty in the world are still increasing. President Xi Jinping's remarks at the summit, as relayed by Li, framed the SCO as needing to shoulder historical responsibility and help steer the course at a crossroads for humanity's future — a framing Li split into a "dao" (principle) level of shared vision and a "shu" (method) level of operational action.

The principle level: three qualities

• Seeing the trend. Li described world multipolarity and economic globalisation as the prevailing direction, even as competing currents of thought collide internationally.
• A horizon that holds the world. The SCO should continue to carry forward the "Shanghai Spirit" and contribute both to regional stability and prosperity and to shared global development.
• Persistence. SCO countries share a desire to promote friendship, safeguard security and pursue development together, which requires steadiness, unity and resolve.

The method level: cooperation and practical innovation

Li said China is willing to work with member states to improve the organisation's operating efficiency, make cooperation projects substantive and strong, and let them play a demonstrative role — pushing the SCO toward higher-quality development, implementing the four global initiatives proposed by President Xi, and building a community with a shared future for mankind. Two concrete commitments were stated: China is ready to coordinate with all parties to complete the rules and institutional setup of the "four security centres" as soon as possible, and is willing to fund 1,000 medical personnel from SCO countries to come to China for further training.

What the Multilateralism Push Means in Practice

Li observed that international calls to strengthen multilateralism and reform and improve global governance have been growing. The SCO, in his account, should work to bring more international partners together and act positively at the global level, with emphasis on seeking common ground while reserving differences and on pooling and converging differences. He set out three arenas:

• Economic and trade cooperation across differing endowments — advancing regional economic integration, building a stable and resilient international transport corridor system, and keeping global industrial and supply chains stable and smooth.
• Common interests across differing demands — jointly safeguarding world peace and stability.
• Harmonious coexistence across cultural differences.

Other participants stated that the SCO has grown continuously over 25 years with rising international influence, and that parties should implement the outcomes of the Tianjin and Bishkek summits, further carry forward the "Shanghai Spirit," strengthen communication and coordination, and advance high-quality SCO development.

The Deliverables: What Was Signed

After the meeting, Li and the leaders of participating member states signed and issued a joint communiqué, and approved cooperation documents in areas including trade and investment, industry, and connectivity, along with resolutions related to SCO institution-building. These are the items most worth tracking at the working level.

Practical Reading for Foreign Founders

The source text does not create new market-access rules, tax treatments or investment entitlements. What it does is indicate direction of travel in the SCO space, which matters for founders whose China entity trades with, sources from, or ships through SCO member markets.

1. Connectivity and corridors

Because connectivity documents were approved and Li specifically referenced a stable, resilient international transport corridor system and the maintenance of industrial and supply chain stability, founders with cross-border logistics exposure should watch for follow-on implementation detail rather than assume immediate route or customs changes. Nothing in the source specifies timelines, routes or tariff effects.

2. Trade and investment files

Approved cooperation documents in trade and investment and in industry suggest continued institutional attention to regional economic integration. For a founder, the useful step is to monitor how these documents are operationalised, since the source does not describe binding commitments to individual firms.

3. Talent and training channels

The stated willingness to fund 1,000 SCO-country medical personnel for training in China is sector-specific. Founders in health-adjacent fields may find it relevant as a signal of people-to-people exchange, but it is not a general visa or hiring programme.

4. Institutional build-out

The reference to completing the rules and institutional setup of the "four security centres" indicates organisational development inside the SCO framework. The source gives no detail on what these centres do operationally.

How to Use This as a Founder

Treat the meeting as context, not as a compliance checklist. When registering or operating a company in China, entity structure, licensing, tax registration and sector permissions are governed by domestic law and local implementation — none of which this article changes. If your business plan depends on SCO-region trade flows, revisit it when the approved cooperation documents and joint communiqué are published in detail, and confirm any specific treatment with qualified local advisers.

This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.