Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted the importance of the Eurasian security club, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), as a force for global stability. The SCO, which was founded in 2001 by Russia, China, and Central Asian nations, has expanded to include India, Iran, and Pakistan as a counterweight to Western influence. Both leaders emphasized that their cooperation was not aimed against anyone but was in the interest of their people.
The SCO focuses on promoting common approaches to external security threats like drug trafficking and countering domestic instability. Ahead of the summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, Putin held bilateral meetings with various leaders, including Turkish President Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif. Indian Prime Minister Modi did not attend the gathering, sending his foreign minister instead.
China and Russia have deepened their partnership, declaring a “no limits” relationship in February 2022. Both leaders believe that the U.S.-dominated post-Cold War era is coming to an end, with the U.S. viewing China as a competitor and Russia as a threat. At the summit, the group criticized the expansion of global missile defense systems and highlighted economic initiatives like the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.
The SCO meeting also saw the attendance of Belarus as a full member for the first time, along with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The summit reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to global stability and its role in shaping a fair, multipolar world order.
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