Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Tianjin, China, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, a regional security grouping that aims to rebalance global power in favor of its member countries.
The summit, which brings together over 20 world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is being closely watched as a platform to discuss global challenges and strengthen regional cooperation.
Putin’s visit to China is significant, given the country’s crucial role in supporting Russia’s economy and politics since the Ukraine invasion in February 2022.
China and Russia declared a “no limits” partnership when Putin visited Beijing just days before sending tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine.
During his trip, Putin is expected to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, his close ally, and attend Beijing’s Victory Day military parade marking 80 years since Japan’s defeat in World War II.
The SCO, comprising China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, has grown into one of the most influential regional platforms.
According to Putin, the SCO’s strength lies in its commitment to equality, respect for national identity, and cooperation without targeting third parties.
“The SCO’s appeal lies in its simple but powerful principles: openness to equal partnership, respect for each nation’s uniqueness, and a firm commitment to its founding philosophy,” Putin said.
“Drawing on these values, the SCO contributes to building a fairer multipolar world order, grounded in international law, with the United Nations playing the central coordinating role.”
Putin emphasized the importance of shaping a “fairer multipolar world order” during the summit. In an interview with China’s state news agency Xinhua, he expressed confidence that this year’s gathering will “strengthen the SCO’s capacity to respond to contemporary challenges and threats, and consolidate solidarity across the shared Eurasian space.”
The summit’s outcomes are expected to provide “powerful new momentum” to the bloc amid shifting global dynamics.
The SCO summit comes at a time when China and Russia are seeking to project influence and signal that Eurasia has its own institutions and rules of the game.
Experts believe that Beijing and Moscow are eager to use platforms like the SCO to curry influence, especially as China’s claim over Taiwan and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have led to clashes with the United States and Europe.
Putin is expected to hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the summit.
The discussions are likely to focus on the Ukraine conflict and Tehran’s nuclear program, respectively. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Tianjin on Saturday evening, will also participate in the summit, marking his first visit to China since 2018.
The SCO summit is significant, given the current global context. With the US and Europe imposing sanctions on Russia and tensions rising between China and the US, the SCO provides a platform for its member countries to strengthen cooperation and promote a multipolar world order.
As Dylan Loh, an assistant professor at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, noted, “The large-scale participation indicates China’s growing influence and the SCO’s appeal as a platform for non-Western countries.”
The SCO summit in Tianjin, China, has brought together world leaders to discuss global challenges and strengthen regional cooperation.
As Putin emphasized, the SCO plays a crucial role in shaping a fairer multipolar world order. With its growing influence and appeal, the SCO is likely to continue playing a significant role in global affairs.