During a significant summit held on Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping openly criticized the bullying tactics employed by other nations. This statement was made at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, where notable leaders, including Russia's Vladimir Putin, gathered to discuss key global issues.
In his remarks, Xi emphasized the importance of upholding fairness and justice in international relations. He stated, "We should uphold fairness and justice," underlining the necessity for countries to stand against what he termed the Cold War mentality, bloc confrontation, and various forms of bullying practices. This message resonated strongly, particularly in the context of rising tensions in global trade.
Xi's China has increasingly become a crucial ally to Putin, especially during the ongoing conflict stemming from Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The dynamics of this relationship showcase a shift in geopolitical alliances, with both nations advocating for a more multipolar world order.
Xi's comments were widely interpreted as a direct response to U.S. President Donald Trump's aggressive trade policies, which have disproportionately affected China and India. Trump has implemented significant tariffs, recently raising India's tariff rate to 50 percent while criticizing its imports of inexpensive Russian oil—an action that contributes to funding for the Kremlin's military efforts.
Addressing an audience composed of approximately 20 leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Xi proposed that the SCO should actively promote a multilateral trading system. Established in 2001, the SCO originally included China, Russia, and four Central Asian nations as a counterbalance to Western alliances like NATO. Today, the organization has expanded to include 10 full members and 16 partner and observer countries, such as Iran, Belarus, and Myanmar.
The SCO summit convened in Tianjin comes just days before a major event in Beijing: China's Victory Day parade on Wednesday. Putin is expected to attend this parade, accompanied by notable figures such as North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong Un, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. The presence of these leaders at such events underscores the evolving alliances in a world marked by complex geopolitical challenges.
