Foreign experts and officials visiting Tianjin ahead of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit have praised the city's blend of historical heritage and modern development, following tours of cultural landmarks.

Delegates visited the Ancient Culture Street and Tianjin Museum on Sunday as part of events surrounding the Global Mayors Dialogue·SCO Summit Cities event, which opens Tuesday.

"Tianjin is a place with a glorious past, and now it is developing carefully, steadily, and sustainably, integrating various elements and emerging technologies," said Sheradil Baktygulov, director of the Institute of World Policy of Kyrgyzstan. "I really like its past, present, and future."

At the Tianjin Museum, which houses more than 200,000 artifacts, foreign guests viewed highlights of the Treasures of the World exhibit, featuring ancient bronzes, jade pieces, paintings, and porcelain. Baktygulov remarked on early Chinese writing found on bones and artifacts, calling it a foundation of the country's deep-rooted civilization.

Sofiya Ushurova, a Kazakhstani law professor at Xi'an Jiaotong University, attended the visit with her children. "Compared to seven or eight years ago when I last visited, the changes are tremendous," she said, noting her interest in China-Kazakhstan cooperation and her participation in SCO-related meetings.

The SCO, founded in 2001 and now comprising 10 member states, represents nearly half the world's population and a quarter of its landmass, People's Daily reported. China assumed the rotating presidency of the organization for 2024–2025 and will host the SCO summit in Tianjin this autumn.

The Global Mayors Dialogue has drawn over 100 international guests, including senior officials from SCO member countries. Organizers say the event aims to share Chinese experiences in areas such as green development, smart cities, and international cooperation, while promoting dialogue among member cities.

Lu Ruotong and Wei Qianqian contributed to this story.