In a powerful diplomatic move, China hosted defence ministers from key Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states including Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and Belarus—in the strategic port city of Qingdao. The high-profile meeting was framed by Beijing as a timely response to rising global instability, Western military consolidation, and economic protectionism.

Held just a day after NATO leaders convened in The Hague to pledge increased military spending, the SCO summit served as China’s strategic answer to what it sees as growing unipolar aggression and hegemonic practices in international affairs.

Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun described the summit as a collective response to a world grappling with “chaos and instability.” In his address, Dong warned against the spread of unilateralism and protectionism, pointing to what he termed “hegemonic, domineering, and bullying acts” that threaten global peace and the international order.

Emphasizing the need for cooperation, Dong urged SCO defence chiefs to take unified steps to maintain a secure and peaceful development environment. The meeting also came amid a fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel following recent hostilities, underscoring the importance of regional collaboration and dialogue.

Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, in a bilateral discussion with Dong on the summit’s sidelines, lauded the current strength of China-Russia relations. He emphasized that the “friendly relations between our countries maintain upward dynamics of development in all directions,” highlighting growing military and diplomatic synergy.

The summit reinforced China’s vision of the SCO as a robust multilateral platform that can act as a strategic counterbalance to Western-led alliances like NATO. With the world’s focus shifting toward geopolitical realignments, China’s emphasis on multilateralism and regional cooperation through the SCO continues to gain relevance on the global stage.