Beijing, August 26, 2025 — Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to host more than 20 world leaders next week at a high-stakes regional security forum, marking a significant display of Global South solidarity and a renewed diplomatic push in favor of multipolar global governance just months before the U.S. presidential election that may return Donald Trump to the White House.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit will be held from August 31 to September 1 in the northern port city of Tianjin. Alongside President Xi, the event will be headlined by Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose attendance underscores the deepening strategic partnership between Beijing and Moscow amid intensifying Western isolation and sanctions against Russia.

The guest list includes leaders from Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, many of whom represent emerging economies increasingly skeptical of U.S. led global institutions and sanctions regimes.

“This summit is China’s moment to solidify its role as the anchor of the Global South,” said one senior diplomat from the region. “It’s also a platform for Russia to show it’s far from diplomatically isolated.”

SCO: From Regional Bloc to Global Platform

Founded in 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation initially focused on regional counterterrorism and economic cooperation among China, Russia, and Central Asian states. But in recent years, it has expanded its scope  and its membership  to include India, Pakistan, and Iran, with dozens of observer and dialogue partner states.

The 2025 summit in Tianjin marks a shift in tone and ambition, with China aiming to elevate the SCO as an alternative platform to Western led alliances like NATO and G7.

Topics on the summit agenda reportedly include:

• Regional security cooperation

• Trade and infrastructure initiatives tied to China’s Belt and Road

• Strategies to bypass Western sanctions and develop parallel financial systems

• Humanitarian cooperation and food and energy security

Russia’s Diplomatic Lifeline

For Russia, the summit provides a critical opportunity to demonstrate that it retains high level diplomatic partners, even as its war in Ukraine and associated Western sanctions have constrained its economy and isolated it from major Western powers.

Putin’s confirmed participation marks one of his most prominent multilateral appearances this year, amid a flurry of recent engagements with non Western allies like North Korea, Iran, and BRICS partners.

“China is throwing Russia a diplomatic lifeline,” said a Eurasia analyst. “It’s a clear signal that alternative poles of power are being formed.”

Trump Factor and the U.S. Shadow

The summit also comes against the backdrop of a fast approaching U.S. presidential election, with Donald Trump a vocal critic of multilateralism and NATO  leading in several battleground state polls. Many SCO member states see the U.S. as distracted and divided, giving Beijing a unique opening to reshape the global narrative.

Observers suggest the Tianjin summit could also preemptively counter a second Trump administration, especially if it adopts a transactional approach to alliances and accelerates U.S. disengagement from global leadership.

What to Watch

The SCO summit is expected to conclude with a joint declaration reinforcing calls for:

• Non-interference in domestic affairs

• Reform of global governance institutions

• Respect for “multipolarity” in international relations

• Expanded South-South cooperation

China may also announce new investment funds or digital infrastructure agreements with member states, further anchoring its economic influence across Eurasia and the Global South.

As the geopolitical center of gravity shifts, the 2025 Tianjin SCO Summit could be a milestone in the post Western world order that leaders like Xi and Putin have long envisioned.

Qingdao — China hosted high-level defence talks this week with key members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), welcoming top military officials from Russia, Iran, India, and Pakistan as the group seeks to present itself as a stabilizing force in a rapidly polarizing global security landscape.

Held in the eastern coastal city of Qingdao, the SCO defence summit was chaired by Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun, who called for “fairness, unity, and strategic trust” among regional powers. The meeting came just days after the NATO summit in The Hague, where Western leaders committed to expanded military budgets and deeper Indo-Pacific engagement moves that Beijing has long viewed with suspicion.

Russia Warns of “Mercenary Flood” in Europe

In one of the summit’s most pointed remarks, newly appointed Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov accused the West of escalating the Ukraine conflict through what he termed the “flooding” of the region with weapons and foreign mercenaries.

“The increased militarization of Ukraine by NATO countries is not only prolonging the conflict but destabilizing all of Europe,” Belousov said, warning that continued escalation could have “long-term global consequences.”

Russia’s participation in the summit underscores its pivot toward Asia amid growing isolation in the West, with the SCO providing Moscow a diplomatic and security platform outside of NATO-dominated arenas.

India Pushes Counterterrorism Amid Regional Tensions

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh used the forum to press for stronger counterterrorism coordination, referencing a recent militant attack in Kashmir that left at least 12 soldiers dead. Singh attributed the assault to Pakistan-based groups and urged SCO partners to adopt a “zero-tolerance policy” toward terrorism.

“Terrorism in any form, backed or harbored by state or non-state actors, remains the single most serious threat to peace and stability in our region,” Singh said during his remarks.

The Indian delegation’s firm tone highlighted ongoing tensions with Pakistan, which also attended the summit. While Islamabad did not issue a direct response, its representatives reiterated a call for “cooperative security frameworks” and respect for sovereignty.

China Seeks to Lead Alternative Security Vision

China, the rotating host of the 2025 SCO cycle, used the summit to position the organization as a counterweight to Western-led military alliances, particularly NATO. Minister Dong Jun stressed that the SCO stands for “non-aligned, non-confrontational, and inclusive security cooperation” and pledged to deepen defence ties across member states.

“The world is not governed by one bloc’s rules or interests,” Dong said. “The SCO promotes fairness, multilateralism, and the peaceful resolution of disputes.”

Analysts say China is increasingly leveraging the SCO to build a coalition of like-minded powers opposed to what they see as U.S.-dominated global institutions.

SCO’s Expanding Influence

Founded in 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation now includes nine full members: China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. With observer states such as Belarus and dialogue partners like Turkey and Saudi Arabia, the SCO’s security footprint continues to grow, particularly in Central Asia.

This year’s summit focused on joint border security drills, intelligence sharing, cybersecurity defense, and preventing regional spillover from Middle Eastern and Eastern European conflicts.

As tensions grow between NATO and non-Western powers, the Qingdao summit marks a renewed effort by China to promote a “multipolar security order” that contrasts with what it describes as Western militarism.