Xi raises ‘universal security’ mission for SCO as Putin, Modi meet in Kyrgyzstan

Beijing tests vision for a multipolar global order as Eurasian security bloc meets against backdrop of Ukraine and Iran crises

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on world leaders to create an environment of “universal security”, and firmly prevent external forces from interfering in the internal affairs of other countries.

At the 10-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Tuesday, Xi said the grouping should safeguard regional stability.

He called the Eurasian security bloc a “new type of regional cooperation organisation with the largest geographical area, the largest population, and enormous development potential in the world”, state news agency Xinhua reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are among the leaders at the summit.

The gathering takes place against the backdrop of a fraying international order marked by conflicts in Iran and Ukraine.

The grouping is viewed as a platform for Beijing to advance its ambitions for a multipolar world and cement its position as a leader of the Global South.