Türkiye’s unique position as the only NATO country linked to the Eurasian bloc highlights its role as a bridge between the West and the Global South in today’s turbulent geopolitical landscape, analysts say.
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Erdogan attending SCO Summit in China: Why it matters
(FILE) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to visit China for the SCO summit in Tianjin on August 31 and September 1, 2025. / Photo: AA.
Abhishek G BhayaAbhishek G Bhaya
August 30, 2025
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will travel to Tianjin, China, from August 31 to September 1 to attend the 25th Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a guest of honour, Türkiye’s Communications Director Burhanettin Duran announced Friday on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal.
The visit marks Erdogan’s first trip to China in five years and comes amid strengthening strategic ties between Ankara and Beijing. During the summit, Erdogan is scheduled to address an expanded session of the SCO and hold bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other participating leaders.
This year’s SCO summit carries added significance amid global uncertainty, with the Russia-Ukraine ceasefire in question and the global economy unsettled by US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.
“By attending the SCO Summit, Türkiye aims to assert its presence, deepen bilateral ties, and engage multilaterally within the organisation’s framework,” said Mehmet Ozkan, Professor of International Relations at the Joint War Institute of Türkiye’s National Defence University.
“Türkiye does not view the SCO as dominated by any single power,” he told TRT World. “Instead, it sees the organisation as a potential multilateral alternative to a Western-led global order.”
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Natural connection
Türkiye has been an SCO dialogue partner since 2012, the first and only NATO country to hold this status, reflecting Ankara’s efforts to balance Western alliances with deeper engagement in Eurasia. Founded in 2001 by China, Russia, and Central Asian states, the SCO focuses on regional security, economic cooperation, and counterterrorism, with full members now including India, Pakistan, Iran, and Belarus.
Under Erdogan, Türkiye has strengthened ties with the SCO, chairing the SCO Energy Club in 2017 and increasing trade with key members like China and Russia.
“There is a natural connection between Türkiye and the SCO, as three of its founding members — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan — are Turkic-speaking,” said former Kyrgyz Prime Minister Djoomart Otorbaev, highlighting Ankara’s constructive position within the bloc.
“President Erdogan’s attendance at the Tianjin Summit will reinforce ties among Turkic nations,” Otorbaev told TRT World, predicting Ankara could become a full member in the future.
Last year, Erdogan expressed his ambition to secure full SCO membership. “Our goal is to become a permanent member. Türkiye should join the ‘Shanghai Five’ as a permanent member rather than remain an observer state,” he said at a press conference. The SCO originated from the ‘Shanghai Five,’ established in 1996 by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.
Over 25 years, the SCO has grown in membership and scope, now covering trade, technology, environmental protection, renewable energy, sustainable development, and cultural and youth exchanges.
Commenting on Türkiye’s role as the only NATO member associated with the Eurasian bloc, Otorbaev said: “The SCO is not anti-Western. It is for friendship and cooperation in Eurasia. All countries, including Türkiye, are welcome as members, partners, or observers.”
Ozkan highlighted Ankara’s goals at the Tianjin summit. “First, it wants to signal a non-Western orientation in its foreign policy and strengthen relations with SCO countries,” he said.
“Second, Türkiye may raise issues like Gaza in private discussions, share perspectives on Ukraine, and hold sideline meetings that could lay the groundwork for future leadership-level dialogue,” Ozkan added.
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Bilateral ties on positive trajectory
Beyond the multilateral platform, Erdogan’s visit underscores Türkiye’s deepening ties with Beijing. “Relations between Türkiye and China are already positive, and this meeting is likely to further strengthen that momentum,” Ozkan noted.
Henry Huiyao Wang, founder and president of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) and former State Council Councillor, praised Türkiye’s role in promoting global peace.
“Türkiye, as both a NATO member and SCO observer, maintains a strong partnership with China in advancing peace,” Wang told TRT World, citing Ankara’s mediation in the Black Sea grain corridor, Russia-Ukraine peace talks, and Middle East conflict resolution efforts.
Wang highlighted Erdogan’s advocacy for UN reforms as aligned with China’s vision for a more inclusive global order. “The Global South deserves a stronger voice, and the current system should better reflect emerging economies’ influence,” he said, stressing multilateral cooperation to tackle global crises.
Ozkan said Türkiye’s Eurasia strategy revolves around “connecting without depending,” aiming to maintain ties with both West and non-West nations while avoiding reliance on any single power.
Erdogan’s participation in the 2025 SCO summit coincides with the bloc’s 25th anniversary and ongoing geopolitical turbulence. Analysts note Türkiye’s dual role—as a NATO member and Eurasian dialogue partner—positions it uniquely as a bridge between East and West.
