Leaders from Over Two Dozen Nations Gather in China for Major Summit
The heads of more than two dozen countries arrived in China on Sunday for a significant gathering aimed at fostering international cooperation outside Western-led alliances.
Xi Jinping personally greeted several leaders, including India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, and Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Xi is also expected to meet with Vladimir Putin, with whom China maintains a strong strategic partnership described as having "no limits."
These one-on-one discussions took place alongside the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin. The SCO consists of 10 Eurasian nations, and attendees included representatives from 16 other countries with observer or dialogue partner status.
Putin and several other dignitaries are scheduled to remain in China for a military display in Beijing on Wednesday, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the conclusion of World War II—an event China refers to as the war against Japanese invasion. North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, is also anticipated to attend.
Modi’s trip marks his first visit to China in seven years, occurring as the two nations work to improve trade relations and manage ongoing territorial disagreements in the Himalayan region.
"We aim to advance our relationship through mutual respect, trust, and understanding," Modi stated following his meeting with Xi.
The Tianjin summit is the largest SCO meeting since the bloc’s establishment in 2001. The organization plays a central role in China’s efforts to strengthen multilateral cooperation beyond Western-dominated alliances like NATO.
Putin, accompanied by high-ranking officials and business leaders, told the Chinese state news agency Xinhua on Saturday that the SCO gathering would "reinforce unity" among Eurasian nations and contribute to a "more balanced global order."
Recent shifts in trade policies under the previous U.S. administration appear to have encouraged this initiative. Modi and Xi’s discussions came just days after Washington imposed steep tariffs on Indian exports following New Delhi’s engagement with Russian energy supplies.
State media reported that Xi emphasized the potential for stable, long-term relations between China and India if both nations approach each other as collaborators rather than competitors.
In his meeting with Erdoğan, Xi expressed support for expanded China-Turkey collaboration on security matters. He also held talks with the leaders of the Maldives, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Belarus’s president, Alexander Lukashenko, a close associate of Putin.
By Sunday evening, Xi and his wife hosted a reception for the visiting leaders. It remained unclear whether Xi and Putin had yet convened for direct talks.
The bilateral meetings occurred at the Tianjin Guest House, a secluded venue surrounded by extensive greenery. Large portions of Tianjin were cordoned off for the event, with heightened security measures throughout the city.
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