China and Russia used the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit to outline their vision for a new international order, positioning the bloc as a counterbalance to Western influence.
Addressing leaders at the summit on Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said, “Global governance has reached a new crossroads,” remarks that were widely interpreted as a veiled critique of the United States and its allies. Xi emphasized that the SCO, which includes several Asian powers, offers an alternative model of cooperation based on mutual respect, shared security, and economic integration.
Beijing also unveiled a package of new financial incentives aimed at member and partner countries, signaling its intent to deepen economic interdependence within the SCO framework. The incentives are expected to focus on infrastructure, trade, energy, and development financing, aligning with China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Russian President Vladimir Putin echoed Xi’s call for reform of global governance structures, stressing that “multipolarity” was now inevitable. He criticized what he described as Western attempts to maintain dominance at the expense of other nations’ sovereignty and development.
Analysts say the summit highlighted Beijing and Moscow’s growing alignment in challenging the Western-led order while courting countries in Asia, the Middle East, and beyond. While the SCO has primarily functioned as a regional security forum, this year’s summit underscored its evolution into a platform for promoting a broader geopolitical and economic vision.
