Xi and Putin criticise West at China security summit
Chinese president Xi Jinping and Russian president Vladimir Putin denounced the United States and its allies at the regional security summit in Tianjin on Monday. Xi accused Washington of pursuing a "Cold War mentality" and "bullying tactics". Putin blamed the West for the war in Ukraine, claiming it had backed a coup in Kyiv and attempted to draw Ukraine into NATO.
The meeting was held under the auspices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), an alliance often referred to as Asia's NATO. It brings together China, Russia, India, Pakistan and several Central Asian states, and was also attended by Iran, Turkey and Belarus.
The SCO represents almost half of the world’s population and around a quarter of the global GDP.
In contrast to what he described as bloc confrontation, Xi called for a “fairer, more reasonable” model of global governance.
Putin used the summit to strengthen ties with other leaders, meeting Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and India’s Narendra Modi. Modi reaffirmed India’s special and privileged strategic partnership with Russia, yet also urged an immediate end to the war in Ukraine.
According to Chinese state media, the summit admitted Laos as a new partner and approved 24 cooperation agreements, including those relating to security and trade.
On Wednesday, participants will attend a military parade in Beijing to mark 80 years since the end of the Second World War. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is also expected to attend, thereby underlining his support for Russia in the conflict in Ukraine.
© SIPA USA NEWSWIRE
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