BEIJING: China slammed “hegemonism and power politics” on Friday as it touted an upcoming summit it is hosting for more than 20 world leaders as promoting stability and peace.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit will be held in the northern city of Tianjin from August 31 to September 1, days before a huge military parade in the nearby capital Beijing to mark 80 years since the end of World War II.
China has long sought to present the SCO as a counterweight to Western-led power blocs and has pushed for greater collaboration between its 10 members.
More than 20 foreign leaders including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the regional security bloc’s largest meeting since it was founded, China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Bin said Friday.
Top politicians from member states or guest countries such as Belarus, Iran, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Turkey and Vietnam are also among those taking part.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will deliver keynote speeches at the event — also attended by heads of international organisations such as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Through the summit, China hopes “to stimulate momentum for cooperation...(and) with the stability and resilience of the SCO, respond to the uncertain and unpredictable factors in the international environment”, Liu told reporters at a briefing.
“In today’s world, outdated mindsets of hegemonism and power politics still have influence, with certain countries attempting to prioritise their own interests above others, seriously threatening world peace and stability,” he added in a veiled reference to the United States.
“The more complex and turbulent the international situation becomes, the more countries need to strengthen solidarity and cooperation to promote common development.”
Xi said in July that the SCO “has successfully explored a path of regional cooperation that aligns with the trends of the times and meets the needs of all parties, setting a model for a new type of international relations”.
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