The Presidents of China and Russia have urged their Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) allies to resist external influence.

This came as Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping attended the sco summit in Kazakhstan’s capital of Astana on Thursday, July 4, 2024.

Besides Putin and Xi, and summit host Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, President Emomali Rakhmon of Tajikistan, President Sadyr Zhaparov of Kyrgyzstan and President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus were in attendance.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India sent his Foreign Minister.

Iran is still choosing a successor to President Ebrahim Raisi, killed in a helicopter crash in May, with a runoff election Friday, so acting President Mohammad Mokhbar attended the summit.

Xi called on the countries to “resist external interference” while Putin said “new centres” of political and economic might are on the rise.

“We should join hands to resist external interference, firmly support each other, take care of each other’s concerns … and firmly control of the future and destiny of our countries and regional peace and development in our own hands,” Xi told the summit.

He added, “It is of vital importance to the world that the SCO be on the right side of history and on the side of fairness and justice.”

Xi called on the SCO members to show solidarity in the face “the real challenges of intervention and polarization,” according to a readout of his speech by the official Xinhua news agency.

“In the face of the real threat of the Cold War mentality, we have to safeguard the security bottom line,” he stressed.

In a joint declaration, published by the Kremlin, the group noted “tectonic shifts in global politics” and called for the bloc to play an enhanced role in global and regional security.

“The use of force is increasing, the norms of international law are systemically being violated, geopolitical confrontation and conflicts are growing, and risks to stability in the world and the SCO region are multiplying,” it stated.

The final communique also called for an “early, complete and sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza with a “comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian question”.

The statement did not refer to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or China’s dispute with Taiwan, but said the group had “mutual respect for sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of states”.

The bloc criticised the “unilateral and unrestricted build-up” of missile defence systems by unnamed countries and regional alliances – a common complaint of both Moscow and Beijing aimed at the United States.

Putin Stresses SCO’s Focus On Members Security

Addressing the summit, Putin emphasized the group’s focus on ensuring security of its members and said the SCO will form a dedicated center that will coordinate response to various security challenges.

He added that the group’s members will also endorse a special program to fight separatism and extremism.

“The multipolar world has become a reality,” Putin said in remarks at the summit, hailing the accession of Russia’s close ally Belarus to the bloc, becoming its tenth member.

“The circle of states that stand for a just world order and are ready to resolutely defend their legitimate rights and protect traditional values is expanding,” Putin said. “New centres of power and economic growth are strengthening.”

Speaking Thursday at the summit, Putin mentioned his statement in June that the hostilities could end if Ukraine withdraws its troops from the four regions that Moscow annexed in 2022 and abandons its bid to join NATO. Kyiv and its allies have rejected the idea.

Putin also thanked SCO members for their proposals for a peace settlement, adding that Moscow will take them into account.