Xi Hosts SCO Summit with 20+ Global Leaders in Tianjin

Chinese President Xi Jinping is hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, attended by leaders from over 20 countries including Russia, India, Iran, and North Korea. Xi held bilateral talks with several leaders such as India's Narendra Modi, Belarus' Alexander Lukashenko, and Armenia's Nikol Pashinyan, supporting Azerbaijan's and Armenia's bids to join the SCO and signing agreements on cooperation in fields like artificial intelligence, finance, and media. The summit occurs amid ongoing geopolitical tensions including the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, with Russia's Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan expected to discuss the Ukraine conflict, and Putin also set to meet Iran's president amid renewed UN sanctions on Tehran. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, also attending, pledged a “beautiful life” for families of North Korean soldiers killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine. The SCO is seen as a platform for China and Russia to strengthen ties with Central Asian states and counter Western alliances like NATO. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other global dignitaries are also present, highlighting the summit's significance in global diplomacy.