Summit talks at a normal pace after three months…Xi Jinping: "Strengthening the Capacity for a Multipolar World" Putin: "China-Russia Strategic Cooperation Is a Model of National Relations"…Joint Front Against the West China, Russia, India, and Iran to convene SCO…The Non-Western Bloc Unites Amid the “Two Wars”
[Herald Economy=Reporter Seo Ji-yeon] As U.S. President Donald Trump reshapes the international order by leveraging tariffs, sanctions, and military power, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met again after three months and put “global multipolarity” front and center. It is interpreted as a message that it intends to strengthen the unity of non-Western forces led by China and Russia in opposition to the U.S.-centered international order.
Especially amid the ongoing simultaneous conflict between the war in Ukraine and the war in Iran, the gathering of the leaders of China, Russia, India, and Iran at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has brought this meeting to the forefront as a diplomatic stage confronting the Trump administration’s foreign policy and the West-centered order. On the 31st (local time), President Xi and President Putin held a bilateral summit in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, where the SCO summit was being held. The meeting between the two leaders comes about three months after President Putin’s state visit to China in May.
At the talks, President Xi said, “China would like to discuss the overall development of the SCO together with Russia and other countries,” adding, “We want to strengthen our capacity to lead reforms in global governance while promoting a world of multipolarity that is equal and orderly.” Although he did not directly mention the United States, “multipolarity of the world” is a key diplomatic slogan that China and Russia have consistently promoted as a check on the U.S.-centered unipolar system. Since this came at a time when the Trump administration was actively using tariffs and economic sanctions as diplomatic tools and even intensifying economic and military pressure on Iran, it can be interpreted as containing a message aimed at countering the United States. President Xi assessed the current international situation by saying, “The number of uncertain and unpredictable factors is clearly increasing,” and expressed his intention to work with SCO member states, including Russia, to promote reform of global governance.
President Putin also emphasized a strategic alliance with China. He said, “In today’s complex geopolitical situation, the comprehensive partnership and strategic mutual cooperation between Russia and China are a model of inter-country relations.” He went on to say that multilateral organizations, including not only SCO but also the United Nations, BRICS, and the G20, would also strengthen cooperation with China. It appears to be an intention to expand China and Russia’s influence in the international organization and economic order led by the United States and the West.
In the economic sector as well, the two countries demonstrated close cooperation. President Putin said that major projects are underway in energy and industry, space, and transportation and logistics, emphasizing that a Chinese container ship began its first scheduled voyage along the North Arid Route (NSR) in mid-month, and that agricultural exports from both countries have increased by 34%. They will also expand cooperation on advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI). President Putin said, “Digital innovation, including AI technology, is opening new opportunities for economic development in both countries,” and pledged to strengthen cooperation with China in related fields. It is suggested that the “Power of Siberia-2” gas pipeline project, which supplies Russian natural gas to China, may also have been discussed at this summit. Once this pipeline is completed, Russia will be able to export 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas to China annually. With the European market shrinking due to Western sanctions against Russia, securing an alternative market in China has become even more important for Russia. However, due to disagreements over supply prices and other issues, they were unable to reach an agreement even at the summit in May, and China again did not disclose the specific details of the gas pipeline discussions.
At this year’s SCO summit, not only President Xi and President Putin attended, but also 17 heads of state, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Farzeshkian. Russia is under Western sanctions due to the war in Ukraine, and Iran is also facing pressure from a U.S. military offensive and economic isolation. In this context, as Russia and Iran actively work to strengthen their ties with China and India, the SCO appears to be growing in prominence as a platform for diplomatic and economic cooperation among non-Western countries responding to pressure from the United States and the West. President Putin met separately with Prime Minister Modi that day, and President Pexelsian also met with Prime Minister Modi. This is the first time President Fazizian and Prime Minister Modi have met since the outbreak of the Iran war.
In a situation where the Trump administration is applying trade pressure on China, the Ukraine issue on Russia, and military and economic pressure on Iran simultaneously, Xi Jinping and Putin’s “multipolarization” message appears to be a scene showing that China and Russia’s strategic understanding—that the U.S. will withdraw from an international order dominated by American influence—is coming together. Seo Ji-yeon sjy@heraldcorp.com
It seems they have reached a stage where, if they cooperate, they could almost neutralize the United States’ economic sanctions.
Trump is becoming infinitely weaker when it comes to these strong powers, With this pressure, I am curious about what outcome will come from the talks with Xi Jinping.
