US trade war, India-China ties loom large at SCO summit in Tianjin | Politics News

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are among the many greater than 20 world leaders attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, which is now the world’s largest regional grouping by inhabitants.

The Beijing-backed bloc will convene on Sunday and Monday within the northern Chinese language metropolis of Tianjin, bringing collectively a various vary of energy brokers from throughout Asia, Europe and the Center East.

Based by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in 2001, the summit has shifted focus over the previous 20 years from Central Asian issues to international issues.

Extra considerably, the SCO has turn out to be a vital a part of China’s “parallel worldwide governance structure”, mentioned Eric Olander, editor-in-chief of the China-International South Mission.

As Beijing assumes the mantle of the world’s second-largest superpower, the SCO has created areas for dialogue and cooperation exterior “the US-led worldwide system”, Olander instructed Al Jazeera.

Whereas the summit in Tianjin is essentially symbolic, it’s a precious likelihood to convey collectively global leaders and bureaucrats in a discussion board the place they’ll share “widespread grievances”, Olander mentioned.

With the gathering set to be overshadowed by United States President Donald Trump’s commerce battle in opposition to a lot of the world – together with many conventional allies of Washington – attendees are prone to have much more widespread floor.

Company vary from Putin, who is needed for battle crimes by the Worldwide Felony Courtroom, to Belarus’s authoritarian chief Alexander Lukashenko and the likes of United Nations Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres.

Most of the attendees even have longrunning rivalries and border disputes, similar to India with Pakistan, India with China, Saudi Arabia with Iran, and Central Asia with each China and Russia.

“There are complicated dynamics at play right here,” Olander mentioned.

“Beneath the pleased household picture is a number of trying over shoulders,” he mentioned.

‘Swing states’

The SCO has expanded its membership in recent times to incorporate such political heavyweights as India, Pakistan, Iran and Belarus as full members, with Afghanistan and Mongolia becoming a member of as observers.

Official “dialogue companions” have additionally grown to 14 international locations, together with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Qatar, Cambodia, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

The summit can even notably characteristic Southeast Asia, a area that Olander likened to the “swing states” within the nice energy competitors between the US and China.

5 heads of state will attend from the area, together with Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim and Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto, in addition to ASEAN Secretary-Basic Kao Kim Hourn.

Observers shall be intently watching the dynamics between Chinese language President Xi Jinping and India’s Modi, who haven’t met in seven years, mentioned Claus Soong, an analyst at Germany’s Mercator Institute for China Research who specialises in China’s international technique.

India has historically been an ally of Washington, nevertheless it was hit this week by Trump’s 50 p.c tariffs as punishment for its ongoing buy of Russian oil.

The White Home says India’s commerce helps to maintain Russia’s economic system afloat regardless of worldwide sanctions, and with it, Russia’s battle on Ukraine.

However the shared menace of US tariffs has helped enhance relations between New Delhi and Beijing, which had plummeted in 2020 over a lethal skirmish between border forces within the Himalayas.

The 2 sides reached a deal on their distant frontier in 2024, however their relationship has remained frosty.

Analysts say China sees Trump’s commerce battle as an opportunity to ease India away from US-led political and navy blocs such because the QUAD, a strategic safety discussion board that features Japan and Australia along with India and the US.

“The bottom line is to take a look at how China [characterises] its relationship with India after the go to and the way the connection improves between China and India,” Soong instructed Al Jazeera.

Even delicate modifications in language by Beijing carry vital diplomatic indicators, he mentioned.

The SCO summit can even mark the primary assembly between Putin and Xi for the reason that Russian chief met with President Trump in Alaska earlier this month to debate the Ukraine battle.

Analysts shall be listening for related modifications in language for a way the 2 leaders describe the China-Russia relationship.

In 2022, simply weeks earlier than Moscow invaded Ukraine, China and Russia signed a “no limits partnership”, and Xi has performed an important position in propping up Russia’s economic system since then.

It is a level of competition for New Delhi, as China has achieved much more to help Russia economically for the reason that battle began, however has not confronted related sanctions from Trump.

With so many dynamics at play behind the scenes, Daniel Balazs, a analysis fellow on the China Programme at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam College of Worldwide Research, mentioned the most probably final result of the SCO shall be a joint assertion from all attendees.

China and Russia are anticipated to push speaking factors similar to their opposition to “unilateralism” – a coded reference to the US – however a lot of the language shall be watered right down to make it palatable to all.

“The symbolism of really reaching a joint assertion is extra vital than the content material of the assertion itself,” Balazs mentioned.

“What I’d anticipate is to have an announcement which is a really non-controversial one, with a purpose to get everyone on board,” he mentioned.

“Safety and stability, feedback about enhancing financial cooperation, and a few feedback in regards to the significance of multilateralism,” Balazs mentioned.

Cops stand guard in entrance of the Tiananmen Gate, in an space briefly closed to guests as a consequence of development, prematurely of a navy parade marking the eightieth anniversary of the top of World Battle II, in Beijing, China, on August 20, 2025 [Florence Lo/Reuters]

Following the summit, friends could have a full day in China earlier than travelling to Beijing for a large navy parade on September 3 marking 80 years for the reason that finish of World Battle II in Asia.

That further day – September 2 – shall be prime time for bilateral conferences, the China-International South Mission’s Olander mentioned.

“Who will meet who on the second of September – that’s one thing to concentrate to,” he mentioned.

Extra heads of state are as a consequence of attend the parade the following day, with additions mentioned to incorporate North Korean chief Kim Jong Un, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, and Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico.

India’s Modi just isn’t anticipated to remain for the parade, though analysts say he could ship a consultant, similar to his international minister.

The Mercator Institute’s Soong mentioned the expansive visitor listing for the summit and the navy parade will give Beijing a lift to its public picture, particularly among the many International South.

“That is how China demonstrates its good friend circle – who will be China’s good friend and who’s keen to endorse China’s narrative,” he mentioned.