QINGDAO, CHINA – June 26, 2025 – China welcomed top defence officials from Iran, Russia, and other member nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Qingdao on Thursday, strengthening military and strategic alliances amid heightened global instability.
The summit comes at a critical moment as the world grapples with renewed conflict in the Middle East and NATO leaders, meeting concurrently in The Hague, commit to significant increases in military spending.
Beijing is positioning the SCO—a 10-nation bloc including China, Russia, India, Iran, and Central Asian states—as a counterbalance to Western-led alliances like NATO. The conference in Qingdao, home to a key Chinese naval base, is viewed as a strategic response to rising unilateralism and geopolitical unrest.
Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun set the tone by calling for unity among SCO members to confront what he described as “hegemonic, domineering, and bullying acts” undermining global peace.
“As momentous changes accelerate globally, we must resist protectionism and work collectively for peaceful development,” Dong said, per Xinhua News Agency.
Also present was Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, who praised the deepening Russia-China military relationship, stating their ties were “at an unprecedentedly high level.” His comments follow recent signals of growing defence collaboration between Moscow and Beijing in light of Western sanctions and NATO’s military posture.
Iran’s presence at the SCO defence meeting is particularly notable, coming just days after a fragile ceasefire was brokered between Iran and Israel following 12 days of hostilities. This context underscores the summit’s broader geopolitical importance.
India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, also attending, emphasized the need for the SCO to remain relevant amidst a changing world order, noting that “globalisation has been losing momentum.”
The SCO was formed in 2001 to promote regional cooperation on security, politics, and trade. Over the years, China has increasingly used it as a platform to rally strategic allies and extend its influence across Eurasia.
Meanwhile, in The Hague, NATO leaders pledged heightened military budgets in line with U.S. demands, reinforcing the global divide between Western and Eastern defence coalitions.
While China maintains it is a neutral actor in the Russia-Ukraine war, Western nations accuse Beijing of indirectly aiding Moscow through economic and diplomatic support—an accusation the Chinese government denies.
The Qingdao summit thus not only reflects deepening ties among SCO nations but also sends a clear message about the evolving balance of power in international military alliances.
