Putin and Xi Affirm Cooperation at SCO Summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping officially welcomed his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, along with other leaders to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin.

The warm handshake between the two leaders was a highlight of the event. The summit serves as a crucial forum for the Eurasian region, providing Beijing with an opportunity to enhance its influence and promote a 'multipolar world order'.

The agenda included discussions on the trade war initiated by US President Donald Trump, as well as sanctions against Russia due to the war in Ukraine. Leaders such as Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Narendra Modi also participated in the summit.

Kim Jong Un is expected to attend the military parade in Beijing for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Xi Jinping described relations with Russia as the most strategically important.

The SCO, founded in 2001, represents nearly half of the world's population and 23.5% of global GDP, and is often presented as a counterweight to NATO.