Xi Organizing Crucial Meeting of Shanghai Security Bloc’s 10 Member States

When Xi Jinping gathers his closest international allies for one of the landmark summits of his more than decade-long rule, many will be seeking reassurance after being scarred by recent conflicts.

Xi is preparing to approve the SCO’s development strategy for the next decade and lay out his vision for global governance. (Photo: Narendra Modi Facebook)

They may not get it, as the security-focused bloc co-founded by China has been largely absent when partners needed it most, Bloomberg News reported.

Instead, China’s president is expected to focus on the future of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) at a time when Donald Trump is seeking to contain Beijing’s ambitions while reshaping U.S. alliances, including with India.

Attention will center on any joint statement from the group and its tone toward Washington, alongside a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines.

At the summit, Xi is preparing to approve the SCO’s development strategy for the next decade and lay out his vision for global governance — with the political leaders of Russia, India, Pakistan, and Iran seated at the same table with him for the first time in years.

Some participants, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, will then accompany Xi to Beijing to attend a military parade on Sept. 3.

“China is putting in a lot of effort and using its influence to make it one of the biggest SCO summits ever,” said Dylan Loh, assistant professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. “

This is also a statement of intent and demonstration of China’s growing profile and power — particularly in the context of U.S.-China competition and concerns over domestic economic weakness.