Chinese President Xi Jinping used the opening of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit to strongly condemn what he called “bullying behaviour” in global affairs, urging member states to adhere to fairness, justice, and multilateral principles.
Speaking in Tianjin, Xi addressed regional leaders, including Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and India’s Narendra Modi, calling on them to oppose Cold War mentality, camp confrontations, and coercive actions by powerful nations.
Highlighting the increasingly complex and chaotic international landscape, Xi emphasized that the security and development challenges faced by SCO member states are growing. He stressed that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, now comprising ten permanent members and sixteen observer or dialogue partners, offers a model for new international relations rooted in cooperation and mutual respect.
Xi underscored the importance of following the “Shanghai spirit,” focusing on practical progress, and enhancing the organisation’s role in regional security.
Xi also articulated China’s vision for a new global security order that challenges U.S.-led norms, opposing hegemonism and power politics while promoting multilateralism and constructive engagement in international affairs.
He indicated that the SCO provides a platform to resist external interference and foster collaboration among Eurasian nations. Analysts note that China is using this year’s summit, the largest ever, to present an alternative vision of global governance amid perceived instability in Western-led international structures and a retreat from multilateralism.
The summit also provided a venue for mending ties between Beijing and New Delhi. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, visiting China for the first time in seven years, met Xi to reaffirm that the two countries are development partners rather than rivals, discussing trade and economic cooperation amid global uncertainties.
Russian President Vladimir Putin highlighted NATO expansion as a key obstacle to lasting peace in Ukraine. Speaking on the sidelines, he called for addressing NATO’s eastward enlargement and restoring a “fair balance” in the European security architecture.
Putin referenced recent discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump, emphasizing ongoing efforts to seek a settlement in Ukraine. Both China and India remain major buyers of Russian crude, supporting Russia’s economy amid Western sanctions.
Overall, the SCO summit served as a platform for Xi to promote multilateral cooperation, challenge global power imbalances, and present a coordinated Eurasian approach to regional security and development. It also underscored China’s growing influence in shaping an alternative global order while addressing ongoing geopolitical conflicts such as the war in Ukraine.
