US-India-China trade disputes and diplomatic connections at the SCO meeting in Tianjin: A Tale of Global Tensions | International Relations News

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other prominent world leaders are attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, which has become the world’s largest regional grouping by population. The Beijing-backed bloc is meeting in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin on Sunday and Monday. Founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, the summit’s focus has shifted from Central Asian issues to global matters over the past two decades. It has become an essential part of China’s “parallel international governance architecture,” allowing for dialogue and cooperation outside the “US-led international system,” according to Eric Olander, editor-in-chief of the China-Global South Project. The Tianjin summit provides a valuable opportunity for global leaders and bureaucrats to share common grievances. The gathering may be overshadowed by US President Donald Trump’s trade war against many traditional allies of Washington, increasing the likelihood of shared interests among attendees. Participants include Putin, who faces war crime charges, Belarus’s authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The attendees also have long-standing rivalries and border disputes, including India’s conflicts with Pakistan and China, as well as Saudi Arabia’s with Iran. The SCO membership has expanded in recent years to include countries like India, Pakistan, Iran, and Belarus as full members, with Afghanistan and Mongolia as observers. Southeast Asia, likened to “swing states” in the US-China rivalry, will be represented by heads of state from countries like Malaysia and Indonesia. India’s Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who have not met in seven years, will be closely watched during the summit. The shared threat of US tariffs has improved relations between New Delhi and Beijing despite frosty relations in the past. The SCO summit will mark the first meeting between Putin and Xi since their discussion of the Ukraine war in Alaska earlier this month. The most likely outcome of the SCO is a joint statement from all attendees, likely watered down to explain opposition to “unilateralism” and emphasize security, stability, multilateralism, and economic cooperation. The expansive guest list at the summit and military parade will enable Beijing to celebrate its international friendships, especially among the Global South.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/30/us-trade-war-india-china-ties-loom-large-at-shanghai-cooperation-summit?traffic_source=rss