China’s Xi Unveils Vision for New Global Order at Security Forum
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged Shanghai Cooperation Organization members to leverage their “mega-scale market” on Monday, while unveiling his ambition for a new global security and economic order that poses a challenge to the United States.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has set a model for a new type of international relations, Xi said in opening remarks addressing more than 20 world leaders at a two-day summit held in northern China’s port city Tianjin.
“We should advocate for equal and orderly multi-polarization of the world, inclusive economic globalization and promote the construction of a more just and equitable global governance system,” he said.
China will provide 2 billion yuan ($280 million) of free aid to member states this year and a further 10 billion yuan of loans to a SCO banking consortium, he added.
“We must take advantage of the mega-scale market… to improve the level of trade and investment facilitation,” said Xi, urging the bloc to boost cooperation in fields including energy, infrastructure, science and technology, and artificial intelligence.
Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders from Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia attended the opening ceremony in a major show of Global South solidarity.
The security-focused bloc, which began as a group of six Eurasian nations, has expanded to 10 permanent members and 16 dialogue and observer countries in recent years.
