TIANJIN - Chinese President Xi Jinping on August 31 pledged to unite the "Global South" at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, showcasing a united front against the West. At a welcoming banquet for the SCO heads of state, Xi stated that the organization would "mobilize the power of the Global South and contribute more to the progress of human civilization."

According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency, Xi said, "Since its establishment, the SCO has adhered to the Shanghai Spirit and strengthened solidarity and mutual trust." He added that through practical cooperation, the SCO has become "an important force in promoting a new form of international relations and the building of a community of shared future for mankind."

Xi emphasized the need for the SCO to play a greater role amid a rapidly changing, unstable, and uncertain world. He noted that the organization has an "ever more important responsibility" to safeguard regional peace and stability and to promote the development and prosperity of member states.

The two-day summit, which began on Sunday, is being attended by more than 20 heads of state, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as well as 10 heads of international organizations. It is expected that the members will set key cooperation goals in the Tianjin Declaration and approve the SCO Development Strategy for 2035.

On the sidelines of the event, Xi held bilateral meetings with several leaders and had an informal conversation with Putin before the banquet. Russian state media TASS reported that the two leaders had a brief five-minute exchange with the help of interpreters.

The SCO summit is seen as a prelude to further displays of anti-Western solidarity. On September 3, China is scheduled to host an 80th anniversary parade commemorating the "Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War." Kim Jong-un, leader of North Korea, and Vladimir Putin are both expected to attend the parade, creating a spectacle of the three leaders together for the first time and further solidifying the anti-Western coalition.

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