On Sunday evening, Aug. 31, at the welcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization Gala banquet for visiting heads of state, Chinese President Xi Jinping made a toast to his counterparts: “The SCO has grown into a significant force in promoting a new type of international relations and building a community with a shared future for humanity. At present, the century-defining transformation is accelerating across the world, with a marked increase in factors of instability, uncertainty, and unpredictability. The SCO thus bears an even greater responsibility for maintaining regional peace and stability and promoting development and prosperity of all countries. At this Summit, we are tasked with an important mission: to build consensus among all parties, ignite momentum for cooperation, and draw up a blueprint for development.”