Xi and Putin show unity against West at security summit in China

At a major Chinese security summit attended by world leaders from Russia, India, Iran and other non-NATO aligned countries on Sunday, China put on a face of unity amid simmering regional conflicts and trade disputes.

"The world is experiencing changes not seen in a century, with significantly increasing instability and uncertainty," Chinese President and Communist Party leader Xi Jinping said at the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

During a gala dinner in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin, Xi said the SCO bears an even greater responsibility for maintaining peace and stability in the region.

He made these remarks in front of numerous heads of state and government, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom Xi warmly greeted with a handshake.

Upon arriving at the banquet, Xi spoke with Putin, whom he often refers to as an "old friend." The two leaders also stood next to each other in the so-called family photo.

The organization is largely dominated by leaders of authoritarian regimes, who are also criticized internationally for human rights violations.

Once again, the summit provided Putin, who remains isolated in parts of the West due to his war of aggression against Ukraine, with a platform to showcase his strong ties with China and other Asian countries.

However, US President Donald Trump had also recently rolled out the red carpet for Putin at a summit in Alaska. During his four-day stay in China, Putin is focused not on tensions with the West but on building a multipolar world order, as he explained in an interview with China's state news agency Xinhua.

Putin will remain in China for several days and is set to attend a military parade on September 3 in the nearby Chinese capital, Beijing, alongside North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The parade marks the 80th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II.

China is considered Russia's most important ally in the war against Ukraine, as Beijing has so far refrained from condemning Moscow's actions and has supported Russian demands in its own proposals for resolving the conflict.

Additionally, according to accusations from Western countries, China supplies Russia with goods that can be used for both civilian and military purposes, thereby supporting the Russian arms industry.