In a significant diplomatic gathering, China hosted defense ministers from Iran and Russia in Qingdao, a prominent coastal city known for its major naval base. This meeting comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, particularly following a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, which has recently seen a fragile ceasefire. The context is further complicated by a NATO summit held just a day earlier in The Hague, where member nations agreed to escalate their military expenditures in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s demands.
Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun emphasized the importance of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as a formidable counterbalance to Western power structures. He pointed out that the meeting reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen collaboration among member nations in various sectors, including politics, security, trade, and science. Dong described the current global landscape as rife with chaos and instability, attributing this to rising unilateralism and protectionism. He condemned “hegemonic, domineering and bullying acts” that threaten international order and urged partner nations to take decisive steps to foster an environment conducive to peaceful development.
Among the attendees, India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh echoed the call for collective aspirations among SCO members, stressing the need to address contemporary challenges in an increasingly transformed world. Singh highlighted the waning momentum of globalization, which once unified nations but has recently begun to fray.
Meanwhile, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, who met with Dong on the sidelines, praised the unprecedented level of cooperation between Russia and China. He acknowledged that their friendly relations continue to foster growth across multiple domains. Despite Western criticism, China has positioned itself as a neutral party in the conflict involving Ukraine, defending its partnership with Russia as vital for mutual diplomatic and economic support.
This meeting underscores the SCO’s role as a platform to assert influence in geopolitics and to promote security and economic collaboration among member nations in the face of Western dominance.
