Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin took turns attacking the United States and the West on Monday at a summit meant to promote a different global governance in a turbulent period.
Xi Jinping denounced a „Cold War mentality” and „acts of intimidation” currently underway, in his view, a veiled reference to the United States, according to AFP.
Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin once again accused the West of provoking the conflict in Ukraine.
Xi supports the UN, Putin defends his invasion
Xi Jinping opened the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit on Monday morning in the bustling port city of Tianjin (north) in the presence of his Russian counterpart and ally.
He defended this organization as a possible new model of multilateralism in a period of geopolitical and trade tensions.
Xi extolled a "Shanghai spirit" at a time when the world is "in turmoil and transformation."
The Chinese leader also defended the UN system and the World Trade Organization (WTO).
"We must oppose a Cold War mentality and the confrontation of blocs and acts of intimidation. We must advocate for a fair and orderly multipolar world and economic globalization that includes" and "promote a more just and reasonable governance system," he said, without ever mentioning the United States.
Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin defended his offensive in Ukraine. "This crisis was never triggered by Russia in Ukraine, it is the result of a coup in Ukraine, which was supported and provoked by the West," he said.
He attributed the conflict to "Western efforts to entice Ukraine into NATO."
Why the SCO summit is important
Heads of state and government from 20 countries gathered in Tianjin, along with partner and observer countries of the SCO.
Representatives of approximately ten regional and international organizations are also participating in this summit aimed at placing China at the center of strategic competition.
The event brings together the presidents of Iran, Massoud Pezeshkian, Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, as well as the prime ministers of India, Narendra Modi, and Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif.
Xi Jinping exchanged pleasantries upon their arrivals with Putin and Modi, after which the leaders of the ten SCO member states posed for a group photo on the red carpet.
The summit - the first since Donald Trump's return to the White House - is presented as the most important since its inception in 2001.
The event takes place in a context of multiple crises directly affecting its members - the trade confrontation between the United States, China, and India, the war in Ukraine, and the conflict in the Iranian nuclear dossier.
SCO member states represent nearly half of the world's population and 23.5% of the world's GDP. The organization is presented as a counterbalance to NATO. It holds numerous energy reserves within its space. The official communication presents the summit as a possible model of different international relations.
Kim is yet to come
This meeting marks a sequence in which China intends to demonstrate not only diplomatic prowess but also striking power, presenting itself as a pole of stability in a divided world.
Putin and several participants are set to witness a demonstration of China's military capabilities on Wednesday, with a grand parade in Beijing marking 80 years since the end of World War II.
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is making a rare appearance outside his country on this occasion. North Korea has become one of Russia's key allies in the Ukraine conflict.
The summit also offers the opportunity for numerous bilateral meetings. The Russian president is scheduled to meet with his Turkish and Iranian counterparts on Monday and with the Indian prime minister. A meeting between Xi and Putin is planned for Tuesday in Beijing.