Xi, Putin Pitch Eurasian Security Club In The Face Of 'Real Risks' As Counterweight To West: 'Must Safeguard The Right To Development'

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin have expressed their ambitions for a new Eurasian security system at the annual meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, or SCO.

What Happened: At the SCO summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Thursday, Xi emphasized the need for the regional security club to resist external interference, reported Reuters. Meanwhile, Putin was expected to discuss creating a new Eurasian security system.

The SCO, established in 2001 by Russia, China, and Central Asian nations, has been expanded by the two leaders to include India, Iran, and Pakistan, as a counterbalance to the West.

“In the face of the real risks of small yards with high fences, we must safeguard the right to development,” Xi said at the meeting in Astana.

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Putin, who has been advocating for a new regional security system, has suggested that it should be open to all countries on the continent, including NATO members, with the ultimate goal of gradually removing all external military presence from Eurasia, particularly the United States.

Why It Matters: The alliance between China and Russia has been strengthening over the years. In May, amid the Ukraine crisis, Xi and Putin pledged to rejuvenate their ties, with a focus on resolving the conflict. This move was seen as a significant step in their alliance.

Putin has also been bolstering Russia’s international alliances, as evidenced by his defense pact with North Korea in June. This marked a significant shift in Russia’s global alliances and highlighted deepening ties with the only country to test a nuclear weapon in this century.

Additionally, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has described the Xi-Putin alliance as a “marriage of convenience,” reflecting the divergent worldviews of the two leaders compared to the West, after Xi’s state visit to Russia in March.

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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote