Xi, Putin Vow to Deepen Strategic Ties at SCO Summit in Kyrgyzstan
SCMP · 2 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met Monday in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, where they pledged to deepen strategic coordination and strengthen the regional bloc's role in an increasingly uncertain international landscape. The meeting, their second face-to-face encounter this year following Putin's visit to China in May, underscored the growing partnership between the two powers amid mounting tensions with Washington and its allies. Other world leaders including India's Narendra Modi, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistan's Shehbaz Sharif, and Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian also attended the two-day summit marking the SCO's 25th anniversary. Both Xi and Putin emphasized their vision of a multipolar world order as a counterbalance to Western influence.
Key Points
- Xi and Putin met Monday on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, marking their second face-to-face meeting this year
- The SCO summit is a two-day gathering celebrating the 25th anniversary of the regional bloc
- Xi said the SCO has a mission to safeguard regional stability and promote development amid growing international uncertainty
- Putin praised Russia-China relations as a model for state-to-state ties, saying cooperation is developing successfully on all fronts
- Russia's economy has become increasingly dependent on China during its invasion of Ukraine
- Xi told Putin he was happy to see him, noting ties have become more solid with brighter prospects ahead
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the pair only discussed the Ukraine war "in passing"
- Other attendees included Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan, India's Narendra Modi, and Pakistan's Shehbaz Sharif
Why It Matters
The Xi-Putin meeting reinforces the strategic alignment between Beijing and Moscow at a time when both face pressure from Western sanctions and diplomatic isolation. The deepening Russia-China partnership, coupled with the SCO's expansion and its stated goal of counterbalancing Western influence, signals a significant shift in global geopolitical alignments that could reshape international order. Hong Kong, as an international financial hub with deep economic ties to both mainland China and global markets, cannot remain unaffected by these shifting great-power dynamics and their implications for global trade and diplomatic relations.
The Xi-Putin meeting reinforces the strategic alignment between Beijing and Moscow at a time when both face pressure from Western sanctions and diplomatic isolation. The deepening Russia-China partnership, coupled with the SCO's expansion and its stated goal of counterbalancing Western influence, signals a significant shift in global geopolitical alignments that could reshape international order. Hong Kong, as an international financial hub with deep economic ties to both mainland China and global markets, cannot remain unaffected by these shifting great-power dynamics and their implications for global trade and diplomatic relations.