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China hosts a star-studded summit to showcase its glowing influence
In this photo provided by Indian Prime Minister's Office, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, hold a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Indian Prime Minister's Office via AFP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfDuPX3p9Y0
President Xi Jinping gathered the leaders of Russia and India among dignitaries from around 20 Eurasian countries for a showpiece summit aimed at putting China front and centre of regional relations.
Security was tight in the northern port city of Tianjin, where the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit is being held until today, days before a massive military parade in the capital Beijing to mark 80 years since the end of World War II.
The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus – with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or “dialogue partners”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin touched down in Tianjin yesterday with an entourage of senior politicians and business representatives.
Meanwhile, Xi held a flurry of bilateral meetings with leaders from the Maldives, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and one of Putin’s staunch allies, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
He also met India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Xinhua news agency reported.
China and Russia have sometimes touted the SCO as an alternative to the Nato military alliance. This year’s summit is the first since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House.
In an interview published by Xinhua on Saturday, Putin said the summit will “strengthen the SCO’s capacity to respond to contemporary challenges and threats, and consolidate solidarity across the shared Eurasian space”.
“All this will help shape a fairer multipolar world order,” Putin said.
As China’s claim over Taiwan and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have seen them clash with the United States and Europe, experts say that Beijing and Moscow are eager to use platforms such as the SCO to curry favour.
“China has long sought to present the SCO as a non-Western-led power bloc that promotes a new type of international relations, which, it claims, is more democratic,” said Dylan Loh, an assistant professor at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.
More than 20 leaders including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan are attending the bloc’s largest meeting since its founding in 2001.
“The large-scale participation indicates China’s growing influence and the SCO’s appeal as a platform for non-Western countries,” Loh added.
Beijing, through the SCO, will try to “project influence and signal that Eurasia has its own institutions and rules of the game”, said Lizzi Lee from the Asia Society Policy Institute.
“It is framed as something different, built around sovereignty, non-interference, and multipolarity, which the Chinese tout as a model,” Lee said.
Putin needs “all the benefits of SCO as a player on the world stage”, said Lim Tai Wei, a professor and East Asia expert at Japan’s Soka University. — AFP
The SCO has not only inherited and advanced the multilateral framework represented by the UN but has also innovated and reshaped its concepts and pathways under new circumstances. The SCO has become both a staunch defender and a benchmark practitioner of multilateralism at a time when this principle of international engagement is under severe erosion worldwide.
14 hours ago — The aircraft carrying the Prime Minister and his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail landed at the Tianjin Binhai International Airport.
Photo: VCG Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia from May 7 to 10 and attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War in Moscow, at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union and the World Anti-Fascist War. Xi's Russia visit will not only deepen bilateral ties at the level of head-of-state diplomacy but will also hold broader significance for the world.
The international order is currently facing multiple shocks, and the underlying causes are closely linked to the erosion of the view of the World War II (WWII) history.
The rise of unilateralism has broken with the post-war tradition of multilateral cooperation; the spread of historical revisionism has intensified the fragmentation of international norms; and the resurgence of exclusionary ideologies has led to social division. Some right-wing politicians use various means to obscure and distort the history of WWII, while others seek to gain political benefits and solidify their positions by whitewashing fascism. Even more dangerously, the flawed historical view is feeding a vicious cycle alongside geopolitical conflicts: In an attempt at containment, they denigrate - or even deny - the historical contributions of China and Russia; and in the name of a "free and open Indo-Pacific," they seek to breach the pacifist postwar constitution and resurrect military adventurism.
Against this backdrop, the joint advocacy by China and Russia to foster a right view of the WWII history, defend the outcomes of the victory in the war and the post-war international order, and uphold international fairness and justice serves as an important guiding force for maintaining world peace and stability.
The war that successfully ended 80 years ago was fundamentally a battle between justice and evil. It was a magnificent feat of the international community overcoming boundaries of nation, race, and ideology to unite against fascist aggression. From the Normandy landings in Europe to the Pacific theater in Asia, from the Battle of Stalingrad to China's brave resistance against Japanese invasion, and across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, countries joined forces in an unprecedented effort to defeat the Axis powers' imperial ambitions. This demonstrated the unparalleled power of multilateral cooperation in the face of global threats.
We will also never forget that the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was inseparable from the robust support of the international community. The Soviet Union's dispatch of troops to Northeast China hastened the collapse of Japanese imperialism; the US supplied China with aircraft and artillery under the Lend-Lease; and the 1943 Cairo Declaration expressly demanded that Japan return all the Chinese territories it had seized - including Taiwan. 80 years ago, the vast majority of the world's nations stood shoulder to shoulder against a common foe in pursuit of a shared ideal of peace - a fact that all humanity should remember forever.
The victory in WWII was a triumph of multilateral cooperation that transcended different systems and beliefs, overcoming fascist tyranny. This proves that the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak, is not the right path for human development. It laid the foundation for an international order centered on the United Nations and gave rise to a wave of national liberation and peaceful development based on equality and self-determination among all nations. Fostering a right view of WWII history is also about defending a proper view of the international order.
The construction of the postwar international system further proved that multilateralism is not a temporary strategy in the game of great powers, but a conscious choice of civilization born from immense sacrifice. As the main theater in the East during World War II, China was not only a significant contributor to the World Anti-Fascist War but also a builder and maintainer of the post-war international order. China has always advocated the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and has played a constructive role in alleviating regional crises through active diplomatic mediation. From proposing the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind to introducing three major global initiatives, China is actively demonstrating what it means to uphold and defend a right view of WWII history. It is providing the world with a Chinese solution that transcends zero-sum games and promotes the development of the international order in a just and reasonable direction.
Standing at the crossroads of changes unseen in a century, humanity needs to learn from historical experience of WWII victory more than ever. As former German president Richard von Weizaecker said, "those who do not review history will be blind to reality." Promoting a correct understanding of World War II is inherently linked to upholding a just international order. Whether mediating regional conflicts or addressing global crises, countries must learn from history and adhere to the just principles established after the war. Only by anchoring ourselves in a correct historical perspective can humanity maintain a baseline of peace amid potential risks of de-globalization and conflict.
"Justice will prevail! Peace will prevail! The people will prevail!" These slogans were shouted by the Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army during the nighttime rehearsal for the Victory Day parade on May 9 in Moscow's Red Square, eliciting waves of cheers and applause from the audience. The three declarations of "will prevail" and the warm reception of the PLA are concrete manifestations of the appreciation and support for upholding and promoting a right view of WWII history. More people standing on the side of defending the right view of WWII history and upholding post-war international fairness and justice is the best way to commemorate the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. - Global Times editorial
Voldemort' of global order: America is the 'Dark Lord' set on destroying international order
Voldemort: The Dark Lord
Editor's Note:
Since the start of the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the international community has grown increasingly aware of the role the US and NATO behind the crisis.
From imposing sanctions on "disobedient countries," to coercing other nations to pick sides, lip service on the Ukraine refugee issue, to a questionable overseas human rights record… the US has acted like a "Cold War schemer," or a "vampire" who creates "enemies" and makes its fortunes from pyres of war.
The Global Times is publishing a series of stories and cartoons to demonstrate how the US, abusing its superpower status, has been creating trouble in the world one crisis after another. This is the final installment.
A woman walks past the landmark graffiti on the walls of the former US embassy in Tehran, Iran. Photo: AFP
"Just in one year, our sanctions are likely to wipe out the last 15 years of Russia's economic gains" and make Russia "an outcast on the international stage." These remarks by US President Joe Biden after the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian military conflict are frightening. The US could implement such a "strangulation" plan economically and politically to a superpower like Russia,, not to mention other countries that are not as powerful.
Fanning the flames to create turmoil, using economic and financial hegemony to sanction opponents, and forming cliques to create political isolation - the US is using its hegemony to undermine the international order.
In fact, the US government's approach is quite similar to Voldemort's - they both believe in power, recruit followers, use violence, and repeatedly want to kill competitors in order to maintain supremacy.
'Paralyzing' sanctions
After the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out, the US did not persuade Moscow and Kiev to negotiate and promote peace, but instead continued to provide military assistance to Ukraine in an attempt to prolong the conflict and to bring down Russia.
On April 13, Biden announced that he would provide Ukraine with an additional $800 million in military aid to help Kiev strengthen its defenses. Since the conflict, Washington's aid to Kiev has surpassed $2.4 billion.
In addition to supporting Ukraine ensnare Russia, the US has also imposed "paralyzing" sanctions on Moscow, involving economic, financial, technological and other fields. Kicking some Russian banks out of the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), canceling the "Most-Favored-Nation" for trade with Russia, depriving Russian citizens access to their overseas assets, restricting the sale of Russian vodka... the US sanctions against Russia are all-inclusive.
Unwilling to act alone, the US is also pulling together European countries, Australia, Japan, South Korea and many other allies to deal with Russia, trying to "turn the ruble into paper." With their joint "efforts," Russia has become the country that has suffered the most sanctions from the US in recent years. According to a report by Sputnik News Agency, data from a sanctions tracking platform shows that since 2014, Russia has been subject to 5,532 sanctions, surpassing Iran and Syria.
Meanwhile, since the conflict began, at least 300 multinational companies have withdrawn from Russia. JPMorgan Chase previously predicted that Russia's GDP will shrink by 12 percent due to Western sanctions. Some Russian experts have warned that living standards in Russians may drop to 1990s levels. Meanwhile, the World Bank predicts that Ukraine's GDP will plummet by about 45.1 percent this year.
The war brought disaster to both Russia and Ukraine, while the US benefited.
A heartless dependence on sanctions
The crazy sanctions against Russia are just the latest manifestation of the US sanction addiction. Over the past 20 years, the US has relied on the tool of sanctions almost to the point of insanity. The number of sanctioned targets on the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Asset Control sanctions list has grown from 912 in 2000 to 9,421 in October 2021, a net increase of 933 percent.
Iran, Syria, Cuba, Venezuela, and North Korea are all on the US sanctions list, the reasons given by the US government for punishing these countries include the so-called "anti-terrorism", "anti-corruption", and "protection of human rights, " but the real reasons are in fact closely related to the US' ideological differences and geopolitical interests. The sanctions have ultimately triggered huge humanitarian disasters in these countries, observers said.
On October 25, 2021 people held a demonstration near the US Embassy in Zimbabwe to protest against Western sanctions against Zimbabwe. Photo: Xinhua
John Mueller, professor of political science at the University of Rochester, has compared the threat of chemical and biological weapons to the massive death and destruction caused by US economic sanctions and found that "more people have been killed because of the sanctions than have been killed by all weapons of mass destruction in history."
Except
for sovereign states, companies of all countries will be hunted down by
the US as long as they affect the country's interest. Germany's Siemens, Japan's Toshiba, France's Alstom. The US has set one trap after another for these competitors in the high-tech sector. They were all fined heavily by Washington, and their core businesses were severely affected. Some employees were even arrested by the US government on trumped up charges. Frederic Pierucci, former executive of Alstom, detailed in his book The American Trap about how the US, under the guise of anti-corruption, manage to dismantle many of Europe's biggest multinationals for more than a decade.
The US has always stressed the need to maintain the so-called "rules-based international order," but when it comes to international trade rules, the US applies them when it suits them and abandons when it doesn't. The WTO report shows that two-thirds of the organization's violations are caused by the US, making the country the biggest "non-compliant" nation of WTO ruling.
'Secret Cold War'
The so-called "rules-based order", a termed pushed by the US had gained currency after then US President George W. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq without the approval of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, which "exemplified his general disregard for international restraints on American power," according to an article published on The New York Times (NYT) in June 2021.
Looking back at the wars in the Korean Peninsula, Vietnam, Iraq, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Syria - the US, under the banner of "upholding justice," "stopping aggression" and "humanitarian intervention," participated in almost all major wars and armed conflicts around the world since WWII to maintain its hegemony. That has led to untold humanitarian disaster to the invaded countries and regions, and plunged them into instability and economic recession.
Former US president Jimmy Carter, once referred to the US as "the most warlike nation in the history of the world." In order to impose its political system and values, the US willfully interferes in other countries' internal affairs. It also provokes the so-called "color revolutions" and incites unrest in the involved countries in addition to military invasions.
According to American scholar Lindsey A. O'Rourke's book Covert Regime Change: America's Secret Cold War, the US engaged in 64 covert attempts at regime change during the Cold War. After the 9/11 attacks, the US started to use "counter-terrorism" as an excuse to force regime change abroad. The war on "terror" spread to more than 40 percent of the world's countries since 2001, according to a special report by the Smithsonian Magazine. Another study conducted by Brown University showed that, the post-9/11 wars have led to over 929,000 deaths and over 38 million refugees and displaced persons.
US' economic bullying not only affects the economic livelihood of the sanctioned countries, but also causes serious damage to the global economic order and economic security. Western sanctions against Russia have also had a profound impact on the global energy, food and financial markets. According to the Financial Times, sanctions against Russia are the biggest blow to globalization, devouring not only the real wealth but also expectations of future global economic growth.
US and UK ambassadors to the United Nations vote on March 31, 1992 for sanctions against Libya.?Photo: AFP
A 'rogue superpower'
As a principal architect and custodian of the international order after WWII, the US is the initiator, founder and participant of many existing international organizations and international treaties. However, if these rules affect US' interests, Washington is quick to push them to one side.
In January 2017, the US withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. In December 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration. And in the following years, the US has withdrawn from the Iran Nuclear Deal, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the Open Skies Treaty and other international agreements.
In terms of international organizations, the US has twice officially withdrawn from the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization in October 2017 and again in January 2019. When the International Criminal Court "encroached" on US interests, Washington was quick to threaten sanctions in September 2020.
"In the early 21st century, if any power sought world domination, coercing others and flouting rules, it was the United States," commented a NYT opinion piece in October 2020. Noam Chomsky and other prominent US scholars also bluntly said that the US has become a "rogue superpower."
Experts point out that countries of the world are seeing ever more clearly the behavior of the US in undermining the international order. After the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, facing the extreme pressure from the US, Serbia refused to follow the West to impose sanctions on Russia. On April 9, Iran, which has suffered from decades of US sanctions, announced the inclusion of 24 Americans on its blacklist of sanctioned individuals for violations of human rights of the Iranian people.
Conclusion
In the Harry Potter series, Voldemort's arrogance and unchecked need for absolute power lead to his eventual demise.
Unmasking the nature of US government as Voldemort, its face has now been revealed to readers piece by piece - the US is not only the Ukraine Crisis Instigator and Cold War Schemer, but also the Instability Brewer, Poison Disseminator, "Vampires" in the war who spread plague and creates hatred, a Human Rights Destroyer who committed grave crimes against humanity, and the ""Voldemort" of Global Order.
The world has suffered from the US for too long, and it is only a matter of time before the US' hegemonic behavior and destruction of the international order backfires.
Unmasking The Superpower: ‘Voldemort’ of global order. Illustration: Xu Zihe/GT
A woman walks past the landmark graffiti on the walls of the former US embassy in Tehran, Iran. Photo: AFP
US and UK ambassadors to the United Nations vote on March 31, 1992 for sanctions against Libya.?Photo: AFP
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