Xi Jinping calls on regional leaders to resist US external interference

Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday (4) called on regional leaders to resist outside interference at a meeting of a Eurasian security bloc hailed by Beijing and Moscow as a counterweight to Western power.

Speaking at the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) leaders' summit in Kazakhstan, Xi called on member states to consolidate the power of unity in the face of the real challenge of interference and division.

We must work together to resist external interference and firmly take charge of our own future and destiny, as well as regional peace and development, Xi was quoted as saying by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

The 10-member bloc should handle internal differences peacefully, seek common ground and resolve difficulties in cooperation, Xi added.

Founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to combat terrorism and promote border security, the SCO has grown in recent years as Beijing and Moscow lead the bloc's transformation from a regional security club focused on Central Asia to a geopolitical counterweight to Western institutions led by the United States and its allies.

On Thursday, Belarus, a staunch Russian ally that helped Moscow launch its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, became the latest authoritarian state to join the OCP, after Iran became a full member last year. The bloc first expanded in 2017 to include India and Pakistan.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was absent from this year's event, further reinforcing the perception of the SCO's anti-Western orientation.

At the summit, Xi warned of what he called the real threat of the Cold War mentality and called on member states to maintain our security foundations.

He also urged countries to protect the right to development in the face of real risks posed by small yards with high fences, referring to a strategy adopted by the United States to restrict key technologies from China.

The Chinese leader stressed the need to jointly promote scientific and technological innovation and maintain the stability and smooth flow of industrial and supply chains.

Sino-Russian alignment

On the eve of the summit, Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin – two leaders who spearheaded the SCO expansion – met on the sidelines of the summit and hailed the strengthening ties between their countries.

In his opening speech before the bilateral meeting, Putin said Russia-China relations were going through the “best period in their history” and should be seen as a “stabilizing” force for the world.

“Russian-Chinese cooperation in global affairs is the main stabilizing factor in the international arena, and we continue to improve it,” Putin told Xi. The Russian president also highlighted the role of Moscow and Beijing “in the cradle” of the founding of the SCO and noted the rapid expansion of the organization in recent years.

“As the number of participants grew (…), the SCO also gained an important role, as one of the main pillars of a fair multipolar world order,” Putin said.

China has already overtaken the European Union to become Russia’s largest trading partner, providing a crucial lifeline to its heavily sanctioned economy. The two nuclear-armed neighbors have also continued to conduct joint military exercises, including with the Muslim Brotherhood.

Meanwhile, the United States accuses China of supplying Russia with dual-use goods that bolster the belligerent nation’s military-industrial complex as it attacks Ukraine, something Beijing denies. In his opening remarks Wednesday, Xi told Putin that China and Russia must “uphold the original aspiration” of their “enduring friendship” amid “an international situation full of turmoil and change.”

Xi also hailed the “unique value” of China-Russia relations, calling on both countries to make new efforts to protect their “legitimate rights and interests” and “the basic norms governing international relations.”

“China and Russia should continue to strengthen overall strategic coordination, oppose external interference and jointly safeguard regional tranquility and stability,” Xi said, according to a note from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

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