Russia and China announced plans Wednesday for expanded cooperation during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Islamabad, Pakistan.
The SCO was founded by Russia and China in 2001 to counter Western alliances. The organization held its 23rd meeting this week, and it was attended by world leaders including Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and the prime ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Mongolia.
On the sidelines of the event, Mishustin had a meeting with Li, in which the prime minister said that “despite unprecedented external pressure,” Russia and China are “increasing the volume of mutual trade and launching joint investment projects,” according to Russian state news agency Tass.
Mishustin also reportedly said the two countries are “creating new international transport corridor…and strengthening food security in Russia and China.”
Meanwhile, China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported that Li said Beijing was willing to work with Moscow to strengthen strategic coordination, further cooperation and contribute to the development and revitalization of the two nations.
From left, Russia’s Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and China’s Premier Li Qiang shake hands before a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, in Islamabad on October 16, 2024. Russia and China announced plans for expanded cooperation during the SCO summit Wednesday.
Roman Naumov/Sputnik/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
Russia and China’s continued commitment to each other comes as Moscow continues its war with neighboring Kyiv after invading Ukraine in February 2022. The U.S. and other Western countries have condemned Russia’s invasion of its eastern European neighbor.
Relations between the U.S. and China also remain frosty with the U.S. State Department seeking “progress on areas of disagreement such as China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea and lack of respect for human rights and religious freedom.”
SCO members said in a joint statement that they reaffirmed their intention “to further develop cooperation in the spheres of politics and security, trade, economy, finance and investment, and cultural and humanitarian ties in order to build a peaceful, safe, prosperous and ecologically clean planet Earth to achieve harmonious coexistence of man and nature.”
The statement said leaders and officials from Belarus, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan reiterated support for China’s One Belt, One Road initiative.
The initiative was founded by Chinese President Xi Jinping over a decade ago. It aims to reconstitute the Silk Road trade route by distributing funds, largely in the form of loans, to mostly developing countries to build power plants, roads, railroads and ports around the world.
The SCO also pledged “to cooperate on climate change and overcome its negative consequences” in its joint statement.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
