A delegation led by the Chairman of the Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies (MISIS) participated in the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Forum on People-to-People Friendship and Friendship Cities, held in Shenyang, China from July 3-5, 2025. Under the theme ‘Deepening People-to-People Friendship, Advancing Sustainable Development,’ the Forum was attended by the representatives from SCO countries, international friendship association representatives, Shenyang municipal authorities, tourism industry delegates, and regional think-tank experts from SCO countries to enhance multilateral cooperation and cultural exchange.

The Forum was co-organized by the China’s Good-Neighbourliness Committee, the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and the Liaoning Provincial Government.

During the Forum, a Memorandum of Cooperation between Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies and China’s Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the SCO (GNFCC) was signed by the Chairman of MISIS and the Vice President of GNFCC to promote bilateral ties in research and policy exchange.

The Chairman of MISIS delivered a remark at the Sub-Forum on Youth-Driven Technological Innovation and Advanced Manufacturing. He commended China’s transformation from a manufacturing powerhouse into a global leader in technology and innovation, serving as a model for ASEAN economies. He emphasized the critical role of youth in shaping the future of AI, Industry 4.0, and smart manufacturing, noting their natural proficiency in data science and 3D manufacturing as key drivers of progress. While calling for responsible youth empowerment, he stressed the need to balance intellectual integrity with collaborative creativity and urged think tanks, governments, and academia to create inclusive policy sandboxes for young innovators.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was established on June 15, 2001 in Shanghai, China, with the mission of enhancing multilateral cooperation among member states in areas including regional stability, counterterrorism, economic trade, and cultural exchange. Myanmar joined as a Dialogue Partner in 2023, marking an important step in its engagement with the organization.

China assumes the rotating SCO Chairmanship for the year 2025 and will host the SCO Summit in Tianjin, China this autumn.