China’s Xi Stages Diplomatic Spectacle for Putin and Modi

China’s Xi Stages Diplomatic Spectacle for Putin and Modi Amid Trump’s Global Shake-Up Tianjin, China August 31, 2025 In a bold assertion of China’s rising global influence, President Xi Jinping is hosting a high-stakes summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Tianjin, drawing an eclectic mix of world leaders from autocrats to democrats, allies to adversaries. The two-day event, hailed as the largest in SCO history, positions Beijing as a strategic counterweight to Western-led institutions, especially as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to disrupt traditional alliances and global norms. Among the headline attendees are Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, both welcomed with full ceremonial honors. Their presence underscores China’s ability to convene rival powers under one roof, even as geopolitical tensions simmer. The summit precedes a major military parade in Beijing, where China will showcase its expanding defense capabilities to a global audience. Putin, fresh off a controversial summit with Trump, praised the China-Russia partnership as a “stabilizing force” and reaffirmed their shared commitment to a “just, multipolar world order.” Modi’s attendance after skipping last year’s summit signals a potential shift in India’s strategic posture amid strained ties with Washington. The SCO, now encompassing over 40% of the world’s population and vast energy reserves, includes members such as Iran, Pakistan, and Belarus. Observer states and partners like Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia are also present, alongside UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Despite the grandeur, analysts caution that internal divisions and unresolved conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and tensions between India and Pakistan continue to challenge the bloc’s cohesion and effectiveness. As banners in multiple languages line Tianjin’s streets and traffic grinds to a halt for motorcades, the message from Beijing is unmistakable: China is not merely participating in global diplomacy it’s orchestrating it. Clip Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/31/china/i...