Chinese President Xi Jinping launched a sharp criticism of global “bullying behaviour” as he addressed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit on Monday. He urged member states to resist Cold War mentality and camp politics, stressing the need for fairness and justice in international affairs.
Xi delivered his remarks in Tianjin, where regional leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and India’s Narendra Modi, joined the two-day summit. The SCO now consists of ten permanent members, including Pakistan, India, China, Russia, and Iran, along with 16 observers and dialogue partners.
The Chinese leader warned that the current world order is “chaotic and intertwined.” He said that the security and development tasks faced by member states are more challenging than ever. Yet, he praised the group’s achievements under what he called the “Shanghai spirit.”
“Looking to the future, we must follow the Shanghai spirit, stand firm, and move ahead,” Xi told the leaders. He promised that China would work with all SCO countries to strengthen the regional security forum and shape a new global security framework — one that could rival the American-led system.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has often been portrayed by China and Russia as a counterbalance to NATO. Xi stressed that the forum rejects external interference, opposes hegemonism, and promotes multilateralism. He described the SCO as a “new model” of international relations.
This year’s summit is seen as Beijing’s largest effort to showcase an alternative vision of global governance. Analysts believe China is using the gathering to highlight its leadership role at a time when U.S. foreign policy appears inconsistent and Western influence is shifting.
The meeting also carried significance for China-India relations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first visit to China in seven years, met Xi on Sunday. Both leaders agreed that India and China should see each other as development partners rather than rivals. They discussed ways to boost trade ties in the face of global tariff disputes.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised China’s role in defending multilateralism. He said Beijing plays a “fundamental” part in sustaining international cooperation.
As the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation expands its reach, the question remains: can it redefine the global order and offer a real challenge to Western dominance?
