Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin push for new Eurasian security system at SCO meeting in Astana
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are leading the charge at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) annual meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan. They are advocating for a new Eurasian security system to resist external meddling and create a fairer world order.
The SCO, originally founded in 2001 with Russia, China, and Central Asian nations, has expanded to include India, Iran, and Pakistan. This expansion aims to counterbalance Western influence and provide new markets for Russian commodities like oil and gas, as Western sanctions have pushed Moscow towards Asia.
Xi emphasized the need to safeguard the right to development amidst global risks, while Putin highlighted the importance of resolving internal differences peacefully and promoting cooperation within the bloc. He also called for the gradual removal of external military presence from Eurasia, particularly targeting the United States.
Furthermore, Putin advocated for the increased use of national currencies in trade among SCO countries and proposed the creation of a new payment system within the group. This move comes as Western sanctions have cut off Moscow from traditional payment systems like SWIFT.
Both Xi and Putin view the U.S.-dominated post-Cold War era as coming to an end. Putin sees the SCO as pivotal in shaping a new world order, while the U.S. perceives China as its main competitor and Russia as a significant threat. President Joe Biden has framed this century as a contest between democracies and autocracies.