BEIJING, August 31. /TASS/. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has become a platform for future global economic growth, Sun Zhuangzhi, director of the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said.

"The SCO embodies the future trajectory of economic growth and technological innovation," he told the China Daily newspaper.

According to the expert, the organization has been able to create "a platform that engages more participants and market entities, enhances their interaction and taps into the strengths of the member states."

On August 31, an SCO summit will kick off in China’s northern city of Tianjin. The event will bring together the leaders of over 20 countries, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Bin, the summit will be the largest event in the organization's history. Apart from the leaders of SCO member states and some other nations, the summit will also involve the heads of ten international organizations, including United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Secretary General Sergey Lebedev, and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn.

The Tianjin Declaration is expected to be signed at the summit. The leaders of SCO member states will also approve the 2035 SCO development strategy. In addition, statements are also expected to be issued on the 80th anniversaries of the United Nations and the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War.