Putin, Xi Jinping rally against outside influences at Central Asia summit

Astana:

Chinese and Russian leaders on Thursday urged their allies and partners to resist malign external influences, advancing their shared anti-Western agenda at a regional summit in Central Asia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping were in the Kazakh capital of Astana for a meeting of leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a regional bloc that Moscow and Beijing see as a counterweight to U.S. “hegemony” on the world stage.

Xi Jinping called on countries to “resist external interference,” while Putin said “new centers” of political and economic power were emerging.

“We should join forces to resist external interference, firmly support each other, care for each other's concerns… and firmly control the future and destiny of our countries as well as regional peace and development in our own hands,” Xi said at the summit.

“It is of vital importance for the world that the SCO is on the right side of history and on the side of fairness and justice,” he added.

In a joint statement released by the Kremlin, the group noted “tectonic shifts in global politics” and called on the bloc to play a greater role in global and regional security.

“The use of force is increasing, the norms of international law are being systematically violated, geopolitical confrontations and conflicts are increasing, and risks to stability in the world and in the SCO region are growing,” the report says.

The statement did not refer to Russia's invasion of Ukraine or the conflict between China and Taiwan, but said the group had “mutual respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of states.”

Russia and China regularly castigate what they see as American dominance in global affairs and seek to strengthen their influence and control, particularly in regions close to their borders.

“The multipolar world has become a reality,” Putin said at the summit.

He also welcomed the accession of Belarus, a close ally of Russia, to the bloc, becoming its tenth member.

“The circle of states that stand for a just world order and are ready to resolutely defend their legitimate rights and protect their traditional values ​​is expanding,” Putin said.

“New centers of power and economic growth are being strengthened,” he added.

Iran, sanctioned by the West, became a full member last year.

Competition

The SCO was founded in 2001 but has grown in importance in recent years. In addition to China, Russia and Belarus, its full members include India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Tajikistan.

It aims to be a platform for cooperation in competition with the West, focusing on security and the economy, particularly in Central Asia, and claims to represent 40 percent of the world's population and about 30 percent of its GDP.

But it is a disparate group with many internal disagreements, including territorial disputes.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has further increased major powers' interest in Central Asia, where Moscow seeks to maintain its traditional influence but where China now has strong ties through its flagship Belt and Road infrastructure project.

The West is also seeking influence in this strategically important region, which is rich in oil and gas and provides a crucial transport route between Asia and Europe.

Despite the struggle for influence, the SCO's common anti-Western agenda was clearly displayed at Thursday's summit.

In the final statement, the bloc criticized the “unilateral and unrestricted buildup” of missile defense systems by unnamed countries and regional alliances – a common complaint by Moscow and Beijing aimed at the United States.

They also called for a “prompt, complete and lasting ceasefire” in Gaza with a “comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian question.”

Pakistan's foreign ministry announced on Thursday that it will host the next leaders' summit in October.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, a spokesperson for the ministry, said “all heads of government of SCO member states” would be welcome when asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the leader of neighbouring rival India, would be invited.

Modi did not attend the summit but is expected in Moscow in the coming days, his first visit to the country since Russia invaded Ukraine.

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)