The northern Chinese port city of Tianjin has made way for a critical diplomatic gathering as leaders from across Eurasia convene for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit. Over 20 world leaders were in attendance, including India’s PM Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. With tensions rising in the West, the meeting highlighted shifting alliances as well as political realignments.
The meeting between Xi and Modi garnered much attention, with it being Modi’s first visit to China in seven years. Following a period of border tensions, the two leaders made an effort to ease the strained relationship. Modi spoke of “peace and stability”, while Xi asserted that the two Asian nations should work collaboratively rather than engage in rivalries. The Indian PM also declared that the two countries will soon resume their suspended flights.
The SCO, founded in 2001 by China, Russia, and Central Asian states as a counterweight to Western alliances like NATO, now counts ten full members, including Pakistan and Iran, and sixteen observer nations. Reports indicate that this year’s gathering was the largest since its formation, indicating the group’s increasing significance.
Xi also presented a new Global Governance Initiative, building on his previous frameworks for security, development, and cultural cooperation. Calling for dismantling barriers, strengthening multilateralism, and enhancing the role of developing nations in global institutions, he described “bullying practices” and opposed hegemonism and Cold War thinking.
Putin, meanwhile, reinforced the idea of an alternative security structure for Eurasia that would move beyond Eurocentric and Atlantic models. He briefed fellow leaders on his recent talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska, framing them as a potential pathway to peace in Ukraine. At the same time, he expressed gratitude for China and India’s role in encouraging dialogue on the conflict.
The summit, however, has been more than a diplomatic showcase for Tianjin. The city has hosted light shows along the river, while heavy security and roadblocks have disrupted daily life for its 13 million residents. Despite the restrictions, large crowds gathered to glimpse the visiting leaders and participate in what local authorities have promoted as a historic occasion.
