Beijing - Chinese President Xi Jinping told leaders at a Central Asia summit in the Kazakh capital Astana on Thursday to “resist external interference”, state media reported. “We should join hands to resist external interference, firmly support each other, take care of each other’s concerns... and firmly control the future and destiny of our countries and regional peace and development in our own hands,” Xi told a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), according to state broadcaster CCTV.
The SCO, which encompasses a vast stretch of the globe from Moscow to Beijing, includes around half the world’s population and on Thursday will welcome its 10th member, Belarus. Its other permanent members are this year’s host Kazakhstan, India, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and, as of last year, Iran.
“The world stands again at a crossroads,” CCTV reported Xi as saying.
“It is extremely important to the world that the SCO stands on the right side of history and on the side of fairness and justice.”
On Wednesday, Xi held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who told the Chinese leader that the Shanghai alliance was strengthening its role as “one of the key pillars of a fair multipolar world order”. The SCO’s main thrust is fostering economic ties between member countries and developing giant projects to link China and Europe via Central Asia.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine -- which China has refused to condemn -- has increased major powers’ interest in the region. Moscow is seeking to maintain its traditional sway there, but Beijing now has strong ties through its flagship Belt and Road infrastructure project, while the West is also vying for influence.
According to CCTV, Xi told leaders on Thursday: “We must safeguard the right to development, adhere to inclusiveness, jointly promote technological innovation, maintain the stability and smoothness of industrial and supply chains, stimulate the endogenous power of the regional economy, and promote the realisation of common development goals”.