Xi Jinping criticised what he called “bullying behaviour” from Western nations as he outlined a new world order at a showpiece summit with Vladimir Putin in China.
Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit alongside his Russian, Indian and Iranian counterparts, Mr Xi called for a new framework of global security and pitched an economic vision to counter US dominance.
“We must continue to take a clear stand against hegemonism and power politics, and practise true multilateralism,” Mr Xi said, in a thinly veiled swipe at the US and Donald Trump’s tariff policies. He added that “bullying behaviour” and a “Cold War mentality” should be challenged.
While opposing powers Russia, Iran and Belarus face mounting US and EU sanctions, India has also been hit with a 50 per cent tariff over its purchases of discounted Russian oil.
China has so far avoided US tariffs linked to its own heavy Russian oil purchases, though Beijing and Washington previously imposed tariffs exceeding 100 per cent on each other before agreeing to a temporary reduction amid ongoing trade talks.
Russia also faces the threat of steep US tariffs as it stalls peace efforts in Ukraine.
Until now, SCO, often dismissed as an “anti-Nato” forum for states that are not in the alliance, has lacked a clear economic or security role.
But Mr Xi urged members to change that, calling for a development bank to boost mutual investment and offering $1.4bn (£1bn) in loans and grants.
“Global governance has reached a new crossroads,” he said. “The shadows of Cold War mentality, bullying, are not dissipating, and there are new challenges that are increasing, not diminishing.”
In a display of solidarity, Putin and Narendra Modi walked hand-in-hand toward Mr Xi before the summit opened, and the three leaders stood shoulder-to-shoulder, laughing.
“It’s hard to tell if the scene was choreographed or improvised, but it doesn’t really matter,” wrote Eric Olander, editor-in-chief of research agency The China-Global South Project.
“If the US president and his acolytes thought they could use tariffs to pressure China, India, or Russia into submission, that (encounter) says otherwise.”
The meeting marks a shift in India-China relations, as US tariffs over Russian oil pushed Mr Modi to visit China for the first time in seven years after past tensions.
The SCO was founded more than two decades ago as a regional bloc by China, Russia and four central Asian states – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined in 2017 and Iran joined in 2023.
Today, Belarus, and Mongolia have observer status and 14 other countries have a dialogue partner status.
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