SCO Summit: Xi Welcomes Putin and Modi Amid Trump’s Global Shift
Here’s a summary of the key points from the provided text:
Location Symbolism: The SCO summit is being held in a Chinese port city with a history of being forced open to colonial powers (European, Japanese) in the 19th century and occupied by Japan during WWII. This history is meaningful to China.
WWII Commemoration: The summit coincides with the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII, and China will use a military parade in Beijing to highlight it’s role as part of the Allied Forces fighting imperial Japan.
SCO Expansion & Focus: The Shanghai Cooperation Institution (SCO), originally focused on regional security (China, Russia, Central Asian nations), has grown in size and scope. It now includes Iran and Belarus.
SCO Activities: Members engage in joint counter-terrorism drills, intelligence sharing, and cooperation in areas like education, trade, and energy.
Anti-Western Sentiment: The SCO increasingly advocates for a “just” international order – one not dominated by a single superpower (the US) and its allies. The inclusion of Iran and Belarus is seen as an effort to make the organization more explicitly anti-West.
Strengthening Ties: The SCO represents a tightening of bonds between Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran, which is concerning to Washington.
* Trump’s Influence: Growing tensions and uncertainties between some countries and the US, especially under a potential Trump presidency, will be a significant undercurrent at the summit. Xi Jinping is expected to address thes issues,likely indirectly,in his remarks.