SCO summit: China's Xi condemns geopolitical 'bullying'

Kyiv has lambasted the closing statement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit hosted by China for failing to mention Russia's war in Ukraine.

In a statement on Monday, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said this omission in the 20-page declaration was "telling."

"It is surprising that the largest war of aggression in Europe since the Second World War is not reflected in such an important, fundamental document, while it mentions a number of other wars, terrorist attacks and events in the world," the statement read.

Kyiv stressed that sustainable global development, international peace and security, adherence to the principles of the UN Charter, or the stable and equal development of trade relations between regions of the world, all issues touched upon in the SCO declaration, could not be addressed properly without "a just end to Russia's aggression."

It also described the omission as Moscow's failed attempt to "portray the world as divided in its assessment of Russia's aggression against Ukraine," by showing that sympathy for Ukraine did not extend beyond the West.

"Given China's significant geopolitical role, we welcome Beijing's more active role in bringing peace to Ukraine based on respect for the UN Charter," Kyiv said.

A joint statement wrapping the two-day SCO summit seemingly condemned US President Donald Trump's tariff policy, as well as all recent attacks against the organization's member states.

SCO members stressed in the statement their rejection of unilateral coercive measures, including "economic" measures, in a seeming reference to Trump's tariffs, which have hit member states China and India most heavily.

The statement also condemned the Israeli and US attacks on nuclear facilities in member state Iran in June.

The member states also strongly condemned "acts causing civilian casualties and humanitarian disasters in Gaza," according to a statement published by Xinhua news agency, adding that they called for a "comprehensive, lasting ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian aid." 

Another clause also condemned the Pahalgam attack in the India-administered Kashmir in April, which left dozens killed, mostly Indian tourists. The attack sparked a short but significant military confrontation between nuclear powers and SCO member states India and Pakistan.

News reports suggested a passage in the SCO statement addressing the conflict triggered India's ire.  

Russia's war on Ukraine was not addressed in the statement.

Reporting on the significance of this summit for India-China relations are DW's New Delhi Bureau Chief, Sandra Petersmann, and DW's Rik Glauert in Taipei.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russia's Vladimir Putin discussed how to "deepen bilateral cooperation in all sectors" on Monday.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Their meeting came with India facing mounting pressure from the United States over its continued and growing reliance on Russian oil.

As part of his efforts to bring about a peace agreement in Ukraine, US President Donald Trump has ramped up pressure on India to stop buying Russian crude which helps Moscow fund its war effort in Ukraine.

But instead of distancing itself from Moscow, New Delhi has doubled down. After their talks in Tianjin on Monday, Modi said he had an "excellent meeting" with Putin, in which they looked at furthering cooperation "in all sectors, including trade, fertilisers, space, security and culture."  

"Our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership remains a vital pillar of regional and global stability," Modi said in a post on Facebook.

Putin, for his part, called Modi a "dear friend," highlighting the close relationship their two countries have enjoyed since the Cold War 

"Russia and India have maintained special relations for decades. Friendly, trusting. This is the foundation for the development of our relations in the future," the Russian leader said. 

Putin is due to visit India in December for an annual bilateral summit.

For more on India's ties with Russia amid Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, take a look at DW's Ukraine updates.

Vladimir Putin praised Turkey as a "strategic" partner in bilateral cooperation, particularly in energy,  during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

"Our focus is also on topics of common interest, such as the Middle East, North Africa, and Transcaucasia. Russian-Turkish cooperation in all these areas is well-established, concrete, useful, and, I would say, trusting," Putin said, according to Russian state media.

Russia's leader also hailed Turkey's role as a mediator in talks between Moscow and Kyiv. Erdogan, meanwhile, stressed that Ankara sought a "fair and lasting peace" in Ukraine.

Russia-Turkey energy ties

The Russian president highlighted their nations' growing bilateral trade and investment.

While Russia has faced increasingly tough sanctions from Western nations over its war in Ukraine, Turkey has continued to do business with Moscow despite being a member of the NATO military alliance.

Russia is one of Turkey's key energy suppliers, according to Turkish state media Anadolu Agency. 

Ankara buys natural gas from Russia, which is delivered via two parallel pipelines that run through the Black Sea.

At their meeting, Erdogan confirmed that his invitation for Putin to visit Turkey "remains valid."

"We look forward to welcoming you to our country as soon as possible. We have sincere relations based on trust. Our relations are developing without being affected by current circumstances," the Turkish president said.

For more on what Putin said on the war in Ukraine, follow DW's Ukraine updates.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held bilateral talks with Russia's Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the SCO summit on Monday.

The talks come after US President Trump has imposed additional tariffs on India over purchases of Russian oil. 

Both China and India are the biggest buyers of crude oil from Russia and have refused to succumb to unrelenting pressure from Trump to stop the purchases. 

Putin on Monday gave Modi a lift in this armoured limousine, calling the Indian Prime Minister his "dear friend".

Modi shared a picture on X of him and Putin inside the Russian Aurus limousine.

"Even in the most difficult situations, India and Russia have always walked shoulder to shoulder," Modi told the Russian leader.

"Our close cooperation is important not only for the people of both countries but also for global peace, stability and prosperity."

Putin said during the meeting that Moscow and New Delhi have maintained "special relations for decades" which are "friendly and trusting" and that this was the foundation for the development of future ties between the two nations.

India's Prime Minister delivered his country's statement in an address at the plenary session of the SCO summit on Monday. 

He said that New Delhi's vision and policy towards the SCO are built on three key pillars of  "Security, Connectivity and Opportunity". 

Modi used the platform to rally countries to oppose terrorism, saying that India had borne the brunt of it in the last four decades.

The SCO member states also signed a declaration condemning an April attack by Islamist militants in Indian-administered Kashmir's Pahalgam town, which had triggered a military conflict between India and Pakistan. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin defended his invasion of Ukraine at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.

During his address in Tianjin, the Russian leader reiterated his unfounded claim that the war in Ukraine was triggered by a "coup d'etat" in Kyiv that was "supported and provoked by the West."

"The second reason for the crisis is the West's constant attempts to drag Ukraine into NATO," Putin said.

He also made a mention of the August summit in Alaska with US President Donald Trump.

While the war in Ukraine has carried on in the weeks since that meeting, Putin told the SCO leaders that "understandings" that could pave the way to peace had been reached in Alaska.

China's President Xi Jinping denounced what he called "bullying behavior" in the world order as he gathered regional leaders for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on Monday.

He called on the leaders of the security-focused bloc to "adhere to fairness and justice... oppose Cold War mentality, camp confrontation, and bullying behavior."

Xi said that the present international situation is "becoming chaotic and intertwined" and the security and development tasks for the member states of the SCO have become "even more challenging".

"Looking back, despite tumultuous times, we have achieved success by practicing the Shanghai spirit," the Chinese President said as he referred to the the SCO group.

"Looking to the future, with the world undergoing turbulence and transformation, we must continue to follow the Shanghai spirit, keep our feet on the ground, forge ahead, and better perform the functions of the organization."

 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a picture of him hugging Russian President Vladimir Putin on social media platform X ahead of the proceedings of the second leg of the SCO summit being held in Tianjin, China.

"Always a delight to meet President Putin!" Modi wrote. 

All eyes are set on the two leaders as they are expected to hold bilateral talks on Monday in the shadow of intense US pressure on India over its purchase of crude oil from Russia.  

Modi and Putin are meeting in-person for the first time during Donald Trump's second stint as US president.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit has entered a busy day two in China’s Tianjin on Monday.

A plenary session of the summit is underway. Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his opening remarks that Beijing will work with all parties in the SCO to take regional security to the next level.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also set to address the plenary session. Modi is expected to hold bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit amid US pressure over New Delhi's Russian purchasing of Russian oil. 

The SCO includes China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus, along with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or "dialogue partners".

 

All eyes were on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping's bilateral meeting at the latest summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Tianjin.

Modi is visiting China for the first time since relations between the two countries deteriorated after Chinese and Indian soldiers engaged in deadly border clashes in 2020.

Modi addressed the situation in his opening remarks, saying that relations between the countries were moving in a "meaningful direction" and there was a "peaceful environment" at the borders.

According to state broadcaster CCTV, Xi said they should "not let the border issue define the overall China-India relationship," adding that economic development should be their main focus.

Meanwhile, Xi also met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russian state media published a video of the two leaders warmly greeting each other. But details of their conversation were not immediately available.

Putin is also scheduled to meet with Narendra Modi, at a time when their relations are under the global spotlight following US tariffs of 50% on goods from India.

Putin and others are expected to stay on for a military parade in Beijing on September 3 to mark the end of World War II. The North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, is also expected to attend. 

During a banquet at the SCO summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed attendees, telling them that the SCO is "shouldering greater responsibilites for safeguarding regional peace and stability," according to the Chinese state-run Xinhua news outlet. 

Jinping told attendees that the "SCO is certain to play an even bigger role and achieve more progress, making greater contribution to boosting the unity and cooperation among member states, pooling the strength of the Global South and pushing for more progress of human civilization." 

According to Xinhua, the SCO summit is the "largest-ever summit of the group."

The summit is occuring as US President Donald Trump has slapped tariffs on countries around the world, raising global trade tensions. Some countries are looking for new trade partners amid uncertainty due to US economic policy. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during the SCO summit in Tianjin.

 According to a post on X from the Turkish presidency, the two leaders emphasized their bilateral economic ties and trade. The post said that "increasing coordination on Chinese companies investing in Türkiye would be beneficial." 

The statement said the two leaders discussed Gaza, the war in Ukraine and "joint steps that can be taken towards the development of Syria."

Both China and Turkey are seeking new economic investments in Syria after the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad last year, with the country now trying to rebuild under a new Islamist-led interim government.

According to an article in English from Chinese state-run outlet Xinhua, Xi told Erdogan that "China and Türkiye are both emerging major countries with a spirit of independence."

Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with Azerbaijani President Ilhan Aliyev in what seemed to be friendly meeting between the two sides.

An Azerbaijani readout of the meeting said that Xi addressed Aliyev as "my dear friend." 

"President Xi Jinping emphasized that successful cooperative relations have been established between Azerbaijan and China over the past 30 years, and that these relations are currently developing at the level of a comprehensive stretegic partnership," the Azerbaijani statement said. 

The Chinese readout of the meeting noted that "China and Azerbaijan are good friends and good partners."

It highlighted the close economic ties between the two countries, and the "efficacy of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route," which is used to transport Chinese goods via Azerbaijan. The two sides have close cooperation in the field of energy, with Azerbaijan being rich in natural gas. 

China also supports Azerbaijan's membership in the SCO and noted that Azerbaijan "firmly abides by the one-China principle."   

In 2023, Azerbaijan took control of the ethnically Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, with Armenians fleeing the Azerbaijani offensive.

China had earlier recognized Nagorno-Karabakh region as part of Azerbaijan prior to the offensive as Azerbaijan had agreed to recognize Taiwan as a part of China.