Overview

• At the 25th SCO summit in Tianjin, Xi Jinping launched a Global governance initiative and framed the group as a counterweight to Western alliances.
• The SCO issued a joint declaration condemning US and Israeli strikes on Iran, decrying Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, and announcing plans for a development bank and wider cooperation accords.
• Public displays of rapport among Xi, Vladimir Putin and Narendra Modi included a 50‑minute private talk between Putin and Modi, after which Modi urged that the war in Ukraine end as soon as possible.
• In Beijing, Xi hailed Putin as a “old friend” and said China‑Russia ties are at an unprecedented level, as talks touched on projects such as the Power of Siberia 2 gas link via Mongolia.
• Putin reiterated that NATO membership for Ukraine is unacceptable, said Russia has not opposed Kyiv joining the EU, and signaled options for security guarantees were discussed with US President Donald Trump in Anchorage; leaders were set to attend a September 3 military parade in Beijing as the EU voiced concern over China’s support for Russia and distanced itself from Slovak PM Robert Fico’s outreach.