The West was alarmed by the statements of Putin and Xi Jinping: “The great horror of the USA and Europe”

Moscow and Beijing are creating an alternative world order

The West is watching, not without concern, the summit of leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Kazakhstan, and especially the signals given by Russian President Putin and the Chairman of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping.

Photo: Global Look Press

“Putin touts 'stabilizing' power of Sino-Russian ties as Xi Jinping hails 'enduring friendship' at security summit,” states the American channel CNN.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday welcomed their countries' deepening engagement when they met for a meeting of the Eurasian security bloc promoted by both leaders as a counterweight to Western power, CNN noted.

In his opening remarks ahead of a bilateral meeting with Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) leaders' summit in Kazakhstan, Putin said Russian-Chinese relations were in the «best period in their history» and should be seen as a «stabilizing» force in the world.

“Russian-Chinese cooperation in global affairs serves as the main stabilizing factor in the international arena, and we continue to strengthen it further,” Putin said.

The Russian President also emphasized the role of Moscow and Beijing “at the origins” of the creation of the SCO in 2001, as these two powers help transform the association from a regional security club with an emphasis on Central Asia into a geopolitical counterbalance to Western institutions led by the United States and its allies.

Belarus, a staunch Russian ally, became the latest state expected to join the SCO after Iran became a full member last year.

“As the number of participants grows — and tomorrow Belarus will become another full member of the organization — the SCO has also acquired a greater role as one of the key pillars of a fair multipolar world order,” Putin told Xi Jinping on Wednesday.

This meeting marks This marks the second face-to-face talks between the two leaders in just two months since Putin's visit to Beijing in May and comes shortly after the Russian president concluded a historic defense pact with North Korea, CNN highlights.

Much to the consternation of the US and Europe, China and Russia have deepened their political, economic and military ties since Putin and Xi Jinping announced a “no limits” partnership in February 2022, when the Russian leader visited Beijing weeks before the conflict began. in Ukraine.

China has surpassed the European Union to become Russia's top trading partner, offering a vital tool for its heavily sanctioned economy. The two nuclear-armed neighbors also continue to conduct joint military exercises, including with Iran.

Meanwhile, the US has accused China of supplying Russia with dual-use goods that support the Russian military-industrial complex, which Beijing denies, CNN recalls.

In his opening remarks on Wednesday, Xi Jinping told Putin that China and Russia should “continue to uphold the original aspirations” of their “enduring friendship” in the face of “an international situation fraught with turbulence and change.”

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

“China and Russia must continue to strengthen comprehensive strategic coordination, resist external interference, and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the region,” Xi Jinping said, according to a statement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The expansion of the SCO comes after another grouping led by China and Russia, the BRICS group of major emerging economies, more than doubled their membership and significantly expanded their global reach last year, CNN admits.

Both moves are widely seen as part of a broader push by Xi Jinping and Putin to create an alternative a world order that will no longer be dominated by the West.

Xi Jinping said on Wednesday that China supports Russia's role as this year's BRICS chair in unifying the Global South, preventing a “new Cold War” and countering hegemony , reports state news agency Xinhua.