SAMARKAND AND BEYOND


The heads of Russia and China are to meet today at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan - 15th and 16th September. The eight-member SCO, founded in 2001 along with four ex-Soviet countries, is considered by the two powers as an alternative to Western centric associations...

Their first meeting since the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Xi Jinping and Putin give an impression of being serious on steering global affairs away from the Western perspectives, preferably to suit their own...

The tête-à-tête is bound to be interesting for several reasons. Putin needs Xi Jinping for support, not only on the war front, but also for trade and commerce. China's  compliance in this regard has certainly aided Russia in blunting the effects of Western sanctions, in place since 24 February 2022...

For China the road ahead could be far from comfortable, especially with millions still braving the pandemic lockdown aftermath, and Xi Jinping seeking a third term for himself... 

Also, Beijing will have to weigh the pros and cons of continued support. For, apart from antagonizing the West, sanctions could loom large if the war backfires on Russia. On the other hand Moscow supporting Beijing's stance on Taiwan is something that China cannot afford to ignore...

While one could debate on Ms. Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan visit, it wouldn't be wrong to say that Beijing had been keenly following the Eastern Europe conflict in her own interests, as indicated by later developments in the South China Sea...

The SCO meet, coming close on the heels of Russia's losses in Ukraine and China's economic slowdown, does in no way augur well for Sino-US relations, starkly reminding one of the Cold War positionings of yore...


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