Overview

• The Kremlin says Putin will attend the SCO summit in Tianjin on Sunday, meet Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday, and serve as guest of honour at Wednesday’s World War II Victory Day parade in Tiananmen Square, seated to Xi’s right.
• Putin told Xinhua that Moscow and Beijing take a common stand against “discriminatory” sanctions that hinder global socioeconomic development.
• He pledged deeper coordination with China across political, security, economic, cultural and humanitarian areas, with discussions to cover regional and international issues.
• Xi is hosting leaders from countries under Western sanctions, including North Korea, Iran, Myanmar and Belarus, for the SCO gathering.
• India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attending after skipping last year, as relations with the United States strain following President Donald Trump’s 50 percent tariff on Indian goods over purchases of Russian oil.