SCO summit: Beijing, Moscow challenge Western dominance

Banglapress Published: 23 September 2025, 10:26 AM

SCO summit: Beijing, Moscow challenge Western dominance

Bangla Press Desk: Leaders from across Eurasia on Monday concluded the largest-ever summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the Chinese port city of Tianjin, pledging closer cooperation on security, economic integration and global governance. The gathering, which brought together heads of state from 10 full members, along with leaders of more than a dozen partner nations and international organisations, marked a show of unity among countries seeking to push back against Western dominance. A platform for Beijing and Moscow The two-day meeting was dominated by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both used the stage to present the SCO as a counterweight to Western alliances, stressing the need for a multipolar world order.

According to AFP, Xi warned of a “chaotic and intertwined” global environment and condemned what he called “bullying behaviour” by unnamed states – widely seen as a reference to the United States.He urged members to embrace the so-called “Shanghai spirit” of mutual trust, equality and respect for diversity, while outlining a new Global Governance Initiative (GGI) aimed at reforming international decision-making. “Global governance has come to a new crossroads,” Xi told delegates, adding: “All countries, regardless of size, strength and wealth, are equal participants, decision-makers, and beneficiaries,” adds Xinhua. Russia’s Putin, meanwhile, defended Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, repeating claims that the conflict was provoked by Western support for a 2014 change of government in Kyiv and attempts to draw Ukraine into NATO.

“This crisis wasn’t triggered by Russia’s attack on Ukraine, but was a result of a coup… supported and provoked by the West,” he said, reports AFP.At the same time, Putin highlighted Turkey’s mediation efforts and met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines. Russian media also reported that Putin spent nearly an hour in his armoured car in private talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi before their official bilateral session. Modi praised the “special and privileged strategic partnership” with Moscow, while again stressing India’s desire for “stable peace” in Ukraine, according to AFP and Sputnik.

Xi’s Global Governance InitiativeThe centrepiece of the summit was President Xi’s unveiling of the Global Governance Initiative – the fourth in a series of proposals after his earlier Global Development, Security and Civilisation initiatives. The plan calls for sovereign equality, adherence to international law, rejection of double standards and a “people-centred approach” to cooperation. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi later said all SCO leaders had backed the initiative, agreeing that the bloc should become a “force for stability in this volatile world”. The summit also adopted a Development Strategy until 2035, laying out priorities for cooperation in areas ranging from energy and infrastructure to education and cultural exchanges.

Growing bloc, mixed interestsFounded in 2001 by China, Russia and four Central Asian states, the SCO has expanded significantly in recent years. India and Pakistan joined in 2017, Iran in 2023, and Belarus this year. The group now brings together countries with very different ties to the West – ranging from hostile states such as Iran and Belarus, to India, which has a more complex relationship with both Washington and Beijing, reports AP. The bloc’s sheer diversity raises questions about its effectiveness. “The SCO wants to move from being a dialogue platform to a full-fledged mechanism of practical cooperation,” said June Teufel Dreyer, a China expert at the University of Miami. “Yet the questions remain – to what end and how?” Nonetheless, Beijing has promoted the SCO as a forum for economic integration. Trade and freight links across Eurasia have grown, while Pakistan and Central Asian members rely heavily on Chinese investment. Russian analysts have also emphasised opportunities for India to expand exports to Russia in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture and textiles, while continuing to buy discounted Russian crude oil (Sputnik). India’s balancing act For New Delhi, participation in the SCO offers access to Central Asia and energy security, but also potential diplomatic headaches. India has refused to endorse some SCO statements perceived as favouring Pakistan, and remains cautious about aligning too closely with Beijing and Moscow, according to AP. Still, Modi signalled a willingness to build trust with China, telling Xi that relations should be advanced “on the basis of mutual trust, dignity and sensitivity.” This followed signs of a thaw after their 2020 border clashes, adds AFP. India also continues to push for reform of global institutions such as the UN Security Council, though China and Russia have offered little more than lukewarm support. Tensions with the West The summit underlined the SCO’s positioning as an alternative to Western-led alliances. In its final declaration, the group warned against attempts to reinterpret a UN resolution underpinning the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, after European powers moved to restore sanctions on Tehran. Any misinterpretation would “undermine the authority of the Security Council,” the document said. Many leaders present are due to travel to Beijing later this week for a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War – a reminder of how the SCO’s activities often overlap with China’s broader diplomatic agenda. North Korea’s Kim Jong Un is expected to attend, in what will be a rare overseas appearance. Outlook Despite questions about its coherence, the Tianjin summit has underscored the SCO’s growing visibility. By bringing together more than 20 national leaders and representatives of 10 international organisations, the meeting highlighted Beijing’s ambition to position itself at the centre of global diplomacy. For Xi, presiding over the bloc’s largest summit has provided an opportunity to project himself as a statesman advancing a “new global world order”. For Putin, it was a platform to rally support against Western sanctions and to show that Russia is not isolated. Yet the real test for the SCO will be whether it can deliver tangible results beyond declarations of solidarity. As political scientist Dali Yang told the AP, “There is a lot of emphasis on maintaining relations in the international arena, even though the SCO has not been effective in dealing with the major challenges of today.” This article was originally published on Daily Sun.

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SCO summit: Beijing, Moscow challenge Western dominance

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