Tianjin, China: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday called on members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI) while rejecting what he described as a “Cold War mentality.” His remarks came at the largest-ever SCO summit, with more than 20 foreign leaders in attendance, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
China positions itself as peacemaker
The summit takes place against a backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions — the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, fallout from the Israel-Hamas conflict, and persistent trade disputes with the United States. Against this context, Xi sought to project China as a global stabilizer, urging SCO members to prioritize cooperation and avoid confrontation.
Xi said China has already invested $84 billion in other SCO countries and pledged support for 10,000 students through Beijing’s “Luban” vocational education program. He described the gathering as an opportunity to “chart a new phase of high-quality development and cooperation.”
India-China engagement
The summit also highlighted a thaw in India-China ties, with Xi meeting Modi in Tianjin on Saturday. Both leaders affirmed the need to be partners, not rivals. India’s Ministry of External Affairs said:
“A stable relationship and cooperation between India and China and their 2.8 billion peoples on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity are necessary for the growth and development of the two countries.”
This echoes comments from Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Sunday, who emphasized that common interests outweigh differences.
Key meetings and next steps
Xi has already held talks with at least 10 visiting leaders, including Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet, underscoring China’s push to expand its regional influence.
Putin is expected to remain in China for a military parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Analysts say Xi’s meeting with Putin will be closely watched for signals on how the two leaders intend to coordinate their positions amid Western sanctions and shifting global alliances.
The SCO summit is scheduled to release a joint statement later Monday, while Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will brief the press on the outcomes of the two-day meeting.
