Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan used a high-profile summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to push for closer ties with China, Russia and other Eurasian powers, as Yerevan signalled its ambition to become a full member of the China-led bloc.

Armenia’s overtures come as Yerevan seeks to rebalance its foreign policy, engaging more deeply with Western and Asian powers while maintaining relations with Moscow.

Full membership of the SCO could offer new avenues to diversify partnerships at a time of shifting regional dynamics in the South Caucasus, where Russia’s influence is waning, while the US is expected to gain a larger presence after the Washington peace summit between Armenia and Azerbaijan in August. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping told leaders gathered in Tianjin that Beijing backed the accession of both Armenia and Azerbaijan, which currently hold dialogue partner status, to permanent membership of the SCO, CGTN reported. He pledged expanded financial support for the grouping, including CNY2bn ($276mn) in grants this year and CNY10 in loans over the next three years.

Xi said the SCO, which brings together China, Russia, India, Pakistan and Central Asian states, had become the world’s largest regional organisation, covering economies worth $30 trillion, and must assume greater responsibility amid “growing unpredictability” in global affairs.

Pashinyan welcomed Xi’s initiatives and confirmed Armenia’s aspiration to join the bloc, calling multilateral cooperation “a key tool for promoting dialogue, tolerance and mutual understanding”, a statement from the prime minister’s office said. He and Xi also announced the elevation of Armenian-Chinese ties to a strategic partnership, vowing to expand trade and investment and to boost cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, technology and energy.

Both sides pledged to stimulate Armenian exports and expand Chinese investment in the country, including in infrastructure projects.

Russia President Vladimir Putin met Pashinyan on the sidelines of the summit, saying “a lot of issues have piled up — bilateral, regional, international”, in remarks carried by Russian state media. The Kremlin said the two leaders held a private discussion on regional developments.

The SCO summit, attended by more than 20 foreign leaders, also provided a platform for Pashinyan to meet counterparts from Azerbaijan, Turkey, Pakistan and Vietnam.