On July 4th, the 2025 SCO Forum on People-to-People Friendship and the Forum on Friendship Cities was held in Shenyang New World Expo. Shen Yueyue, Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC),  President of the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation attended and delivered the keynote speech. Marat Imankulov, State Secretary of Kyrgyzstan, Ziyafat Asgarov, Vice President of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Hao Peng, Secretary of the CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee, Chairman of the Standing Committee of Liaoning Provincial People's Congress, delivered their remarks. Wang Xinwei, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee, Governor of Liaoning Province, presided over the ceremony.

Shen Yueyue, in her keynote speech, stated that President Xi Jinping had pointed out that people-to-people friendship is the foundation for international relations to remain steady and progress, an unending source of power for promoting world peace and development, and the basic prerequisite for realizing mutual benefit. China, as the rotating president of the forum, once again hosts the event with the aim of further fostering SCO people-to-people friendship. We must steadfastly uphold cooperation and collaboration, fostering the "Shanghai Spirit"; adhere to shared destiny and promote eternal friendship; adhere to the principles of mutual benefit and win-win progress; and uphold openness and inclusiveness, deepening exchanges and mutual learning. We need to solidify the web of friendship and cooperation among the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation countries, and strive for the establishment of an even more closely interconnected community of shared future within the organization.

Hao Peng stated that Liaoning is deeply studying and applying the spirit of President Xi Jinping’s important speeches during his visit to the province, striving to take the lead in achieving new breakthroughs in all-round revitalization of Northeast China, and forging ahead to write a new chapter of Liaoning in Chinese modernization. This forum is an actual implementation and concrete measure in response to President Xi Jinping's initiative on building SCO community with a shared future. We will take this opportunity to further promote the "Shanghai Spirit" upon the abundant achievements we have made in recent years through local exchanges with SCO countries. We will expand our cooperation channels, deepen economic and trade relations, enhance cultural exchanges, and contribute more to fostering a deeper understanding and closer collaboration among the SCO countries by leveraging the resources of Liaoning.

Nurlan Yermekbayev, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and Yang Wanming, President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), delivered remarks. Kahraman Sariev, Chairman of the Committee on Interethnic Relations and Friendly Ties with Foreign Countries under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Banu Nurgazieva, President of the Civil Alliance of Kazakhstan; Jamshed Toshev, Deputy Director of SCO Center of Friendship and Cooperation in Tajikistan; Ruslan Bolotov, Mayor of Irkutsk spoke at the ceremony. Wang Hesheng, Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Chairman of the Chinese Foundation for Lifeline Express, delivered the keynote speech. 

At the opening ceremony, the Consensus on Actions for Sustainable Development of People-to-people Exchanges among SCO Countries was released, followed by a signing ceremony. The Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation signed cooperation memorandums with Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies and Peace as well as Friendship Organization of Mongolia. Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) signed cooperation memorandums with the SCO Center for Public Diplomacy in Uzbekistan and Russian Association for Local Self-Government Development. Liaoning Province signed the Letter of Intent on the Establishment of Friendship Province Relationship with Atyrau Oblast of Kazakhstan;  and the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region signed the Agreement on the Establishment of Friendship Region Relationship with Almaty Oblast of Kazakhstan. Shenyang City of Liaoning Province signed Letter of Intent on the Establishment of Friendly and Cooperative Relations with Mogilev, Belarus, Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of Friendly and Cooperative Relations with Bukhara City of Uzbekistan, and Letter of Intent on the Establishment of Friendship City Relationship with Atyrau City of Kazakhstan. Yulin City of Shaanxi Province signed Agreement on the Establishment of Friendship City Relationship with Arkhangelsk City of Russia; Nanchang City of Jiangxi Province sgined Letter of Intent on Friendly Exchanges and Cooperation with Vladikavkaz City Russia.

Before the opening ceremony, leaders and guests visited "Under the Same Blue Sky" the SCO Countries Art Exhibition of Children Artists, SCO Countries People-to-People Exchanges Achievements Exhibition, and Sci-tech Innovation and Advanced Manufacturing Achievements Exhibition. They then took photographs together as mementos. During the forum, three parallel forums were held, including the Forum on Friendship City Collaboration and Economic Partnerships & The Second Shenyang International Friendship Cities Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference, Forum on Youth-driven Technological Innovation and Advanced Manufacturing, and Light of Peace – Peace and Friendship Forum Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

This forum, hosted by the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), and Liaoning Provincial People's Government, with the theme of "Deepening People-to-People Friendship, Advancing Sustainable Development", featuring an opening ceremony, achievements exhibitions, sub-forums, closing ceremony, as well as site visits.

Xu Xiaolan, Member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Vice Chairman of the China Zhi Gong Party Central Committee; Cui Li, Vice-president of the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation; Hu Sishe, Member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC); Sun Linjiang, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Eurasian Affairs; provincial and municipal leaders Jiang Youwei, Huo Bugang, Shan Yi, and Ly Zhicheng; SOC state leaders, diplomatic envoys, heads of local governments, representatives from friendship organizations, and delegates from business associations and enterprises; and key officials of the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, as well as representatives from relevant provinces and municipalities in China, and officials from relevant provincial departments, attended the forum.