Xi hosts Putin, Modi and other global leaders at SCO summit: As it happened

01 September 2025

Putin has arrived in Beijing for the next stage of his four-day visit to China after attending the SCO summit in Tianjin, according to Russian media reports.

A video posted on Telegram by journalist Pavel Zarubin shows the presidential convoy at night, featuring shots from the highway and scenes of the motorcade passing Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in the early hours.

Putin’s schedule in Beijing is expected to include a trilateral meeting with the presidents of China and Mongolia, as well with several other global leaders. On Wednesday, he will serve as the guest of honor at commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat and the end of World War II.

Putin has held talks with Nepalese Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli on the sidelines of the SCO summit.

The Russian president highlighted that since establishing diplomatic relations in the 1950s, the two countries have have not “had any problems,” and shared positions on most international matters.

During the meeting, Sharma Oli invited Putin to visit Nepal, an invitation the Russian president reciprocated.

Putin has met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the SCO summit in Tianjin, China.

”I want to stress the… special nature of our multi-faceted Russian-Iranian ties,” the Russian president said.

He noted that bilateral trade between the two countries is on the rise, as is humanitarian cooperation, including student exchange programs and tourism.

Putin discussed the Ukraine conflict with the Chinese and Indian leaders on the sidelines of the SCO summit on Monday, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov has said.

Ushakov dismissed media reports suggesting that Putin and Trump had already agreed to hold a trilateral summit with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, noting that Russia and the US are still considering various options.

Putin met Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on the sidelines of the SCO summit, saying the two countries had a “broad agenda” for practical cooperation. The meeting was dedicated to expanding ties.

All SCO leaders have backed Xi Jinping’s new global governance initiative, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said. Xi unveiled the principles at an SCO+ session, stressing the need to uphold international law, defend multilateralism, reject double standards and ensure equal participation by all countries, regardless of size or power.

The summit has drawn wide attention from global media, with Vladimir Putin’s presence in the spotlight.

Bloomberg has noted that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strengthened ties with China and Russia, defying US influence.

Reuters has reported that Putin and his Chinese counterpart shared a joint vision for a restructured global order.

The Financial Times has described the summit as “model-setting,” saying Xi has used it to showcase China’s ambition to reshape the global order.

The Associated Press, meanwhile, has focused on the SCO leaders’ declaration, particularly the creation of a Development Bank, while also highlighting Putin’s talks with both Modi and Xi.

Traditional values should be placed back on the international agenda, Putin told an SCO+ meeting, as he invited participants to Moscow’s Intervision Song Contest on September 20. He said the competition is aimed at promoting “universal cultural and spiritual values,” adding that artists from a range of countries have already confirmed their participation. Intervision is presented as an alternative to Eurovision, providing a platform for global participation after Russia was banned from the European event in 2022.

More countries are seeking cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, President Vladimir Putin said, adding that global interest in the bloc’s work “continues to grow.” “An increasing number of states are striving for open and equal dialogue with our organization,” he told an SCO+ meeting. This year’s summit in Tianjin is the largest in the group’s history, bringing together more than 20 foreign leaders and representatives of international organizations.

Addressing the SCO+ meeting, Xi also proposed a new global governance initiative, saying it followed his earlier initiatives related to global development, global security and global civilization. He said China is ready to work with all countries to build a “fairer and more equitable system of global governance” and move toward a community with a shared future for humanity.

Xi has invited SCO members to join Beijing’s project to build an international lunar research station. Speaking at an SCO+ session, he said China also welcomed wider use of its BeiDou satellite navigation system.

Speaking to the Turkish leader in Tianjin, Putin called Türkiye a reliable and time-tested partner, and said energy ties between Moscow and Ankara are “truly strategic.” He pointed out that Russia remains a top gas supplier to Türkiye through the Blue Stream and TurkStream pipelines, and added that Russian nuclear energy giant Rosatom is moving ahead with building the country’s first nuclear power plant at Akkuyu.

Putin has said he is confident Türkiye will continue to play a special role in efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict. Meeting Erdogan, the Russian leader thanked Ankara for its “significant contribution” to political and diplomatic efforts, noting that since May three rounds of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine have been held in Istanbul, helping advance humanitarian issues.

The Kremlin has released footage of the Russian and Turkish delegations meeting just before the sit-down between Presidents Putin and Erdogan.

Putin met with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on the sidelines of the SCO summit and thanked him for helping host talks with Ukraine in Istanbul. “Since May, three rounds of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations have taken place on the Istanbul platform, which have made it possible to move forward on a number of practical humanitarian issues,” Putin said, adding that he is confident that Türkiye’s special role “will remain in demand in the future.”

Moscow has published footage of Putin with Modi and titled it #Videooftheday

Modi has said his meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the SCO summit was excellent and focused on deepening cooperation and discussing global issues including Ukraine.

Modi told Putin that New Delhi welcomed recent efforts to find a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, saying he hoped all sides would approach the process “constructively” and voiced support for an early end to the conflict. He added that he regularly exchanges views with Putin on the issue, most recently after the Russian leader’s August meeting with US President Donald Trump in Alaska.

“We welcome all the recent efforts made toward peace. We hope that all parties will move forward constructively to find a way to end the conflict at the earliest and establish lasting peace. This is the call of all humanity,” Modi said.

Putin has called Modi a “dear friend” during talks in Tianjin, noting that December will mark 15 years since Moscow and New Delhi declared their ties a special and privileged strategic partnership. He said relations were continuing to strengthen on that basis. Modi, who also referred to Putin as a “dear friend,” said he looked forward to welcoming him in India in December for the two countries’ 23rd annual summit.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Tianjin. The meeting, held at the Ritz-Carlton hotel where Putin is staying, brought together senior ministers and top officials from both sides.

The UN should be reformed to reflect “current political and economic realities,” according to an SCO declaration marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the founding of the New York-based body. Reforms should ensure greater representation of developing countries in the organization’s governing bodies, the document states.

The SCO has called for a “full and lasting ceasefire” in Gaza, delivery of humanitarian aid to residents, and renewed efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region, according to the summit declaration.

 A “comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian question” is the only path towards lasting stability in the Middle East, according to the statement

The group members also strongly condemned actions that led to numerous civilian casualties in Gaza, the declaration said.

SCO members have agreed to set up a development bank, according to a declaration adopted at the group’s summit in Tianjin and a consultation group has ben established to oversee the project.

Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, has praised the deepening ties among nations at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) sidelines on Monday, highlighting the growing spirit of multilateral cooperation.

“We are witnessing unprecedented collaboration across countries on joint projects and economic integration,” Dmitriev said. He contrasted this with what he described as the “fragmented” nature of the Western world where the drive for cooperation is waning. Dmitriev stressed that the SCO countries demonstrate a commitment to mutual respect, fostering a model of constructive global engagement.

“No one bothers anyone; cooperation prevails,” he said, adding that this collective approach is increasingly visible to the world.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling conversations with him “always insightful” during an SCO Summit meeting.

President Putin said that Western attempts to draw Ukraine into NATO were “one of the causes” of the ongoing Ukraine crisis, noting that Russia’s position is that no country should ensure its security at the expense of another.

He added that Moscow values the efforts of China, India and other partners to help resolve the conflict, and expressed hope that the United States will move in the same direction.

Putin also noted he would brief fellow leaders on the outcome of the recent Alaska summit during bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the gathering.

President Vladimir Putin said that Russia supports creating an SCO-based payment and settlement infrastructure, noting that national currencies are being used more widely in trade among member states. He also told the SCO leaders that the organisation is a “powerful driver of genuine multilateralism,” calling Eurocentric and Euro-Atlantic models outdated.

Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged a 2 billion yuan (about 281 million US dollars) grant to SCO member states this year, with an additional 10 billion yuan in loans over three years.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a photo of his warm encounter and hug with Vladimir Putin earlier in the day, saying: “Always a delight to meet President Putin!”

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko addressed the SCO summit after Xi, saying that Minsk’s participation in the organisation serves its long-term interests and opens new opportunities. He praised the SCO’s ability to maintain open channels of communication and reach agreements despite differences, calling it a “unique and viable organisation.”

“In today’s unstable world, unity and cohesion are our greatest strengths,” Lukashenko said, noting that the world is undergoing a difficult transition.

“The world is rapidly moving away from a unipolar model — with its claims to exclusivity and the dominance of a certain group of countries — toward a just multipolar system based on a balance of interests, respect for sovereignty and mutual trust,” he told delegates.

In his opening speech, President Xi Jinping urged SCO member states to “seek common ground while putting aside differences” and pursue “mutual benefit and win-win results” as the bloc charts its path forward.

“SCO member states are all friends and partners,” Xi said, calling for respect for differences, strategic communication, consensus-building and stronger solidarity.

The Chinese leader also stressed the need for deeper economic integration, and called on member states to leverage the strengths of their large markets and economic complementarities to improve trade and investment facilitation.

“We need to better align our development strategies and promote the high-quality implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative,” he added.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has opened its 25th Council of Heads of State meeting, chaired by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared laughs in a light exchange before SCO summit talks began.

World leaders gathered for a family photo ahead of the meeting of the heads of state of the 10-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived at the Tianjin Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Centre to take part in a meeting of the Council of Heads of Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states.

Closer cooperation between India and China has the potential to transform the global balance of power, Dr. Shashi Asthana, former Director General Infantry in the Indian Army and a global strategic analyst, told RT. Asthana said improved relations between New Delhi and Beijing, alongside Russia, would mark a decisive shift toward multipolarity.

“If these two countries cooperate, then what happens is there is a bulwark… the US-dominated West gets balanced out and we actually move to a multipolar world,” he explained.

Asthana added that easing tensions along the India–China border and restoring trade ties point to a “reset” that could accelerate wider Eurasian integration. He noted that India and China represent more than two billion people and are among the world’s fastest-growing economies. Their cooperation, Asthana argued, strengthens the wider Global South and brings “tremendous promise” in trade, supply chains and regional stability.

“It is an Asian century and a Eurasian century. The economic fulcrum is shifting to the Indo-Pacific and Asia-Pacific… this cooperation is good news because it will make a much better balanced world,” he said.

The United States’ sanction and tariff wars have accelerated cooperation among BRICS members and contributed to the bloc’s rise as a major force in global affairs, Dr. Shashi Asthana, former Director General Infantry in the Indian Army and a global strategic analyst, told RT. He said Washington’s “economic coercive diplomacy” under President Donald Trump — including steep tariffs on China, India and Brazil — had backfired. 

“A realization has come within the BRICS countries that we need to trade more, exploit each other’s markets better, and cooperate on trade. If we do that, then American coercion may not be effective,” he explained.

He argued that this shift has increased the appeal of both BRICS and the SCO as alternatives to Western-led institutions. “If the US-led West did not notice that BRICS GDP has become more than G7, and also the SCO’s collective GDP has become more than G7, then certainly it is sleepwalking into decline,” Asthana said.

With leaders gathering in Tianjin, Asthana noted that the growing influence of Eurasian groupings signals a global rebalancing: “We are moving from a unipolar world to a multipolar one.”

31 August 2025

Chairman of the expert council of the Russian-Chinese Friendship, Peace and Development Committee, Yuri Tavrovsky, has recalled the crucial role played by the Soviet Union in aiding China during the Second World War, as President Vladimir Putin arrives in China for a four-day visit that includes the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and Victory Day commemorations.

When China faced Japanese aggression in the late 1930s, “no one in the world came to China’s aid” except the USSR, Tavrovsky told RT. He explained that Moscow and Beijing quickly signed agreements providing loans worth tens and later hundreds of millions of dollars, which enabled large-scale arms deliveries.

“Thanks to these loans, deliveries of the latest weapons of the time began,” Tavrovsky said, listing I-16 and I-15 aircraft, over 1,200 planes in total, along with T-26 tanks, thousands of guns, and hundreds of thousands of rifles and machine guns. “All this military equipment came from the Soviet Union, from Almaty, through the mountains,” he added.

Putin is expected to highlight this shared wartime history during his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and at anniversary events in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II.

Speaking from Tianjin, the northern Chinese city hosting the event, CGTN correspondent Dai Kaiyi emphasized the diplomatic importance of the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO, along with the SCO Plus meeting, both of which President Xi is set to chair and address through keynote speeches.

“In an era of rising uncertainties and geopolitical tensions, one of the SCO’s priorities is to de-escalate regional conflicts and promote dialogue,” Dai told RT.

“The SCO is not just about security or trade. It’s a multifaceted platform,” he added, noting that the organization, originally founded to support multilateralism and regional cooperation, now plays a broader role that includes addressing security, economic development, and cultural exchanges.

He highlighted expected outcomes of the summit, including official documents covering areas such as anti-terrorism cooperation, economic policy, trade facilitation, and people-to-people exchanges. He also pointed to discussions around creating institutions like an SCO Development Bank to enhance financing for connectivity projects under initiatives such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Belt and Road Initiative.

President Vladimir Putin’s multi-day visit to China sends a strong signal of “solidarity, dialogue, and cooperation” and underscores the long-standing strategic partnership between China and Russia, CGTN correspondent Dai Kaiyi told RT on the sidelines of the summit in Tianjin.

“This visit underscores the strong ties between China and Russia,” Dai said, emphasizing their shared role as SCO founding members. “President Putin is accompanied by a large and significant delegation, including three deputy prime ministers, more than a dozen ministers, as well as representatives of major Russian enterprises... This is going to be a very friendly and very fruitful dialogue between the two countries.”

China and India “can set aside these disputes about the border issues,” John Gong, professor at Beijing’s University of International Business and Economics, has told RT. Beijing and New Delhi have a “lot of things in common,” especially in terms of the economy, according to the Chinese researcher. The two Asian powerhouses, together with other key players such as Pakistan, aim to ensure stability, peace, and prosperity in their region, he added.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting China for the first time since 2018, following months of efforts to normalize relations. Long-standing border disputes escalated in 2020, culminating in a deadly clash between the two countries’ militaries.

The unprecedented scope of this year’s SCO summit proves “that we are really entering into a multi-polar world,” John Gong, a professor at Beijing’s University of International Business and Economics, has told RT. He added that with many SCO member states facing steep US tariffs, the issue is likely to be high on the leaders’ agenda.

According to Gong, in dealing with China, Washington has realized that a full-blown tariff war with Beijing would be too costly, so the levies are “coming back to a more reasonable level right now.”

“I think this is actually a very good lesson that to deal with Washington you have to do it from a position of strength,” he argued.

Armenia and Pakistan have established diplomatic relations on the sidelines of the summit, both countries’ foreign ministers announced on X. Armenia’s top diplomat, Ararat Mirzoyan, described the signing of a joint communiqué as a “landmark development.”

His Pakistani colleague, Ishaq Dar, stated that Islamabad and Yerevan have reaffirmed their “commitment to the principles and objectives of the UN Charter.”

Pakistan sided with Azerbaijan during the latter's decades-long conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region and refused to maintain official diplomatic relations with Yerevan. Armenia, meanwhile, viewed Pakistan as posing a threat to the country’s national security.

The establishment of diplomatic relations on Sunday came after Armenia and Azerbaijan initiated a peace process earlier this month.

President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a “very good [and] long conversation” one-on-one, on the sidelines of the SCO summit, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has told reporters.

He added that the Russian president has yet to meet with the head of neighboring Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.

In recent months, relations between Russia and the two former Soviet republics have somewhat deteriorated.

Yerevan and Baku, which are locked in a bitter territorial dispute that has had several bloody flare-ups in the past, have recently been trying to resolve the conflict.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are “happy to note the progress” since their meeting in Kazan, Russia earlier this year, “especially in the domain of people-to-people relations,” representatives of India’s Ministry of External Affairs have told reporters at a press conference.

An Indian diplomat added that both leaders “agreed the two countries were primarily focused on domestic development goals, and in this, they were partners rather than rivals.”

Modi and Xi met earlier on Sunday on the sidelines of the SCO summit.

Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov has said that the opening ceremony ahead of the 2025 SCO Summit featured “traditional Chinese cuisine and a very great concert.” The latter was “short but impressive,” and included the popular Soviet-era song ‘Podmoskovnye vechera’ (Moscow Nights).

Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan that they have a lot of “bilateral, regional and international” issues to discuss, expressing hope that the talks will be “useful and substantive.”

Pashinyan responded that he was pleased to continue the “very active dialogue between our brotherly countries,” adding that their agenda was “always very rich.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin has met Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Tianjin.

Relations between Moscow and Yerevan cooled after Armenia signaled closer ties with the West and suspended participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization earlier this year. Pashinyan also earlier rebuked Russia for failing to defend Armenian interests during its long-running border disputes with Azerbaijan. Moscow, however, pointed out that Yerevan repeatedly rejected the territorial compromise with Baku proposed by Russia.

Speaking at the reception for leaders attending the SCO summit in Tianjin, Chinese President Xi Jinping noted the organization has assumed great responsibilities “for safeguarding regional peace and stability, and for boosting development of various countries in a world of increasing uncertainties and accelerated changes.” 

He added he was certain that the gathering would be a success and result in increased international cooperation.

After the group photo of SCO summit participants, Chinese President Xi Jinping has invited the attending leaders to a formal reception held in their honor.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been welcomed with the folk song “Kalinka” at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.

Participants pose for a group photo as Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin stand side by side at a ceremony welcoming SCO heads of state in Tianjin, China.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived at the SCO summit in Tianjin, where he was personally welcomed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit as “fruitful,” noting that they discussed the positive momentum in India-China relations.

During a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the two countries should remain “friends and good neighbors.”

“The World is going towards transformation. China and India are two of the most civilizational countries. We are the world’s two most populous countries and part of the Global South,” Xi said. “It is vital… [for] the Dragon and the Elephant to come together.”

“We must also step up to our historic responsibilities to uphold multilateralism, a multipolar world, and more democracy in international institutions and work together for peace and prosperity in Asia and around the world,” he added.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to the BRICS summit that India will host in 2026, according to the Foreign Ministry in New Delhi. Xi thanked Modi for the invitation and said China supports India’s chairmanship in the economic group.

India holds the rotating BRICS presidency in 2026.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has canceled a planned trip to China due to nationwide protests. Presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi explained Saturday that the president wants to “continue monitoring the situation in Indonesia directly” and apologized to Beijing.

The unrest began over lawmakers’ housing allowances and alleged police brutality cases, sparking violent demonstrations in several cities.

Iran and China are “two countries with ancient civilizations on the two sides of Asia,” Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has written on X. The nations, he said, have the power to bring transformation to the region and the world.

“Implementing all the various dimensions of the strategic partnership agreement will help to pave the way for this,” he said.

Iran is represented at the SCO summit by its president, Masoud Pezeshkian. Iran became a full member of the SCO in 2023.

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Tianjin, according to his press service. The two leaders discussed bilateral and multilateral issues, including prospects for cooperation within the SCO and the development of logistics infrastructure.

The two countries signed ten documents on cooperation, including an agreement on providing unconditional aid.

The SCO has become more influential than the Western-dominated G7 group, Dr. Shashi Asthana, the former director general of infantry in the Indian Army, has told RT.

“If somebody has not noticed [this], then certainly he is sleepwalking into its decline. That is the case with the United States,” he said, adding that within the SCO, “it is not one country which will dictate terms to everybody else.” 

“Different groupings bring a lot of things to the table and on the global stage, and that is beneficial, and it creates a much more balanced and inclusive world.”

The SCO is gaining more global clout as international institutions like the UN lose influence, Dr. Shashi Asthana, the former director general of infantry in the Indian Army, has told RT.

“America violates the United Nations and all the institutions which don’t suit or which don’t follow its line,” Asthana said, adding: “if there is no global institution which can work in the global arena for global good, then perhaps the answer lies in the regional institutions.”

President Xi Jinping has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that China and India are “cooperation partners, not rivals,” and should view each other as development opportunities.

The two countries have long been locked in border disputes and military standoffs but have recently sought to repair ties, facing economic headwinds from US President Donald Trump’s tariffs – India from a 50% tariff on its exports and China from an extended trade war with Washington.

President Vladimir Putin will travel in China during his visit to the SCO summit using a Russian-made Aurus limousine with Chinese diplomatic license plates.

China and Armenia have formally established a strategic partnership, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have announced. Xi added that Beijing supports Armenia in joining the SCO. Yerevan currently holds the status of dialogue partner.

China supports Azerbaijan in joining the SCO, Xi Jinping has said during a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Tianjin.
Azerbaijan has been a dialogue partner of the SCO since 2016 and recently applied for observer status, a step seen as paving the way toward eventual full membership.

The SCO currently has ten full members, including China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus, and several Central Asian countries.

During a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the two countries should remain “friends and good neighbors.”

“The World is going towards transformation. China and India are two of the most civilizational countries. We are the world’s two most populous countries and part of the Global South,” Xi said. “It is vital… [for] the Dragon and the Elephant to come together.”

“We must also step up to our historic responsibilities to uphold multilateralism, a multipolar world, and more democracy in international institutions and work together for peace and prosperity in Asia and around the world,” he added.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has arrived in Tianjin for the SCO summit. He was greeted with an official ceremony featuring soldiers, dancers in traditional attire, and a motorcade escort.

Similar welcomes were held for Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, who all traveled to Tianjin over the weekend for the gathering.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is becoming a global-level diplomatic actor, and has developed a unique model of regional security and development based on multilateral cooperation, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has told China’s Xinhua news agency.

He added that he has known Xi Jinping for a long time, calling him a strategic leader. “Amid the current absolutely unpredictable situation, he valiantly assumes the leadership and offers a clear and well-defined path of development not only to China, but to the entire world,” Lukashenko said.

”In contrast to those who are trying to ‘bring democracy’ with bombs and sanctions, China shows that it is possible to develop peacefully and with respect for other countries,” he added.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tianjin. During the talks, Modi praised China’s SCO chairmanship, welcomed resumed direct flights between the two countries, as well as the restart of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra – a high-altitude Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage. He added that Beijing and New Delhi also reached an agreement regarding border management.

“The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity. We are committed to taking our relations forward on the basis of mutual trust, respect and sensitivity,” the Indian leader said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Tianjin, beginning a four-day visit to China. His Ilyushin Il-96 landed to a welcome from Chinese officials and Russian diplomats based in the country.