Xi Jinping Blasts Bullying Behaviour at SCO Summit in Tianjin, Calls for Unity Among Eurasian Leaders
China’s President Xi Jinping blasted “bullying behaviour” in the world order as he gathered Eurasian leaders for a showpiece SCO summit in Tianjin on Monday, 1 September 2025, aimed at putting Beijing front and centre of regional relations, while urging the organisation to follow the Shanghai spirit amid a chaotic global situation.
Introduction to the SCO Summit 2025
The 25th Heads of State Council meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation took place in Tianjin, China, from 31 August to 1 September 2025, marking China’s assumption of the rotating presidency for 2024-2025. The summit brought together leaders from the 10 member states – China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus – along with observers and dialogue partners, including more than 20 nations represented by figures such as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Touted as a non-Western style of collaboration, the SCO seeks to serve as an alternative to traditional alliances like NATO, promoting mutual benefit, equality, and security cooperation. The event kicked off with a red carpet arrival, group photos, and bilateral talks, including a notable conversation between Xi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This gathering occurred days before a massive military parade in Beijing on 3 September 2025 to commemorate 80 years since the end of World War II, which many attendees, including North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, are expected to join.
Xi Jinping’s Address and Key Messages
In his opening remarks, Xi highlighted the increasingly “chaotic and intertwined” international situation, slamming “bullying behaviour” from certain countries – a veiled reference to the United States. “The security and development tasks facing member states have become even more challenging,” he said, calling for the SCO to better perform its functions by adhering to the Shanghai spirit of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for cultural diversity, and pursuit of common development.
Xi urged acceleration in building an SCO development bank to enhance economic ties and proposed cooperation in areas like artificial intelligence, rejecting a “Cold War mentality.” He emphasised the organisation’s role in maintaining peace, stating the SCO bears a “greater responsibility” for regional stability. Official posters lining Tianjin’s streets echoed these themes with words like “mutual benefit” and “equality” in Chinese and Russian, underscoring the summit’s focus on non-hegemonic collaboration.
Bilateral Meetings and Diplomatic Highlights
The summit featured a flurry of bilateral engagements. Xi met with Modi for the first time in seven years, signalling a thaw in India-China relations strained by the 2020 border clashes. Modi affirmed India’s commitment to advancing ties based on “mutual trust, dignity, and sensitivity,” amid shared pressures from US President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs on both nations.
Putin, arriving with senior officials and business representatives, held talks with Erdogan on the Ukraine conflict and with Pezeshkian on Iran’s nuclear programme. These discussions reflect the SCO’s growing role in addressing global security issues. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a staunch Putin ally, also engaged in meetings, highlighting the bloc’s alignment with non-Western powers.
SCO’s Role and Challenges
Founded in 2001, the SCO positions itself as a platform for security, economic, and political cooperation, countering Western influence. With its expansion to include Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024, the organisation now represents about 40% of the world’s population and a significant share of global GDP. However, its reach remains murky, with critics viewing it as a loose alliance rather than a cohesive bloc.
The summit challenged US dominance but focused on practical cooperation, including anti-terrorism exercises and economic initiatives. ASEAN’s Secretary-General participation underscored the SCO’s outreach to other regional bodies. Despite internal differences – such as India-Pakistan tensions – the event promoted unity against external “hegemonic” forces.
Putin’s Defiance and Global Context
Putin used the platform to defend Russia’s actions in Ukraine, deflecting blame and emphasising sovereignty. His presence, alongside Xi’s calls for a new global order, highlighted the SCO’s appeal to nations seeking alternatives to US-led alliances. This year’s summit, the first since Trump’s return to the White House, comes amid heightened US-China rivalry, with tariffs and security concerns shaping discussions.
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