At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, leaders from China and Russia highlighted significant changes in global politics, urging allies to resist external influence and advocating for a multipolar world.
In Astana, Kazakhstan, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized the need for SCO countries to support each other and resist external interference. Xi stated that it is crucial for the SCO to stand for fairness and justice in global affairs. Putin noted the rise of new centers of political and economic power, indicating a shift away from US dominance.
The SCO, a regional bloc founded in 2001, now includes ten full members, such as China, Russia, India, and Iran. It aims to enhance cooperation in security and economics, serving as a counterbalance to Western influence. The bloc’s final declaration recognized significant shifts in global politics and called for a greater role in global and regional security.
The declaration also called for a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza and a just settlement of the Palestinian issue. However, it did not mention Russia’s actions in Ukraine or China’s dispute with Taiwan. Instead, it emphasized mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Both China and Russia oppose US dominance in global affairs, seeking to expand their influence, particularly in regions close to their borders. Putin celebrated Belarus joining the SCO, marking an expansion of the bloc, and stressed the need for a just world order. The summit also included UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, underscoring the importance of Central Asia in global geopolitics.
The SCO represents 40% of the global population and 30% of the world’s GDP. Despite its internal disagreements, the bloc aims to foster cooperation in security and economic matters, particularly in Central Asia, a region rich in resources and strategically important for global trade routes.
In their final declaration, the SCO criticized the unilateral buildup of missile defense systems by certain countries, implicitly targeting the United States.
This summit underscores the shifting dynamics in global power structures and the increasing importance of multilateral cooperation in addressing global challenges.
