Chinese leader Xi Jinping made his case for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Tuesday. He called the SCO ''a priority area'' for BRI cooperation.
Xi pledged an AI cooperation center for SCO states. He also promised 10 million kilowatts each of new solar and wind capacity, plus 100 tech projects over three years.
Why it matters: BRI's reputation is slipping. Protests have hit several SCO countries over debt loads, lost sovereignty, and Chinese workers taking local jobs.
By the numbers: The Lowy Institute reported in May 2025 that the world's poorest countries paid a record $22 billion in debt repayments to China. The report said Beijing has shifted ''from capital provider to debt collector.''
Between the lines: Western nations have grown wary of bailing out countries stuck repaying Chinese loans. That leaves BRI clients with fewer options.
India, the SCO's largest non-Chinese member, remains BRI's sharpest critic. New Delhi argues the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor violates the SCO Charter by compromising sovereignty.
The summit's joint statement blasted U.S. action against Iran and Israel's operations in Gaza. Members appeared rattled by threats of secondary U.S. sanctions tied to Iran.
India and Pakistan traded the usual terrorism accusations. Modi got a line into the statement warning against ''double standards'' on terrorism.
The bottom line: Xi is still selling BRI as a win-win. The receipts from Kyrgyzstan to Islamabad tell a story of debt, not development.