China, Russia affirm unity, seek security ties in regional summit Kyodo News

NEW DELHI - China and Russia, during an online summit on Tuesday, reaffirmed the unity of a regional organization under their leadership and called for stronger security cooperation among members, with their leaders voicing criticism of Western sanctions. At the virtual Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit chaired by India, Chinese President Xi Jinping said members should "step up strategic communication" and "stay in unity and coordination to bring more certainty and positive energy to world peace and development," according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. With U.S.-led moves in mind, Xi expressed Beijing's opposition to "protectionism, unilateral sanctions, and the overstretching of national security," as well as its rejection of "decoupling and severing supply chains." Russian President Vladimir Putin, who joined an international conference for the first time since a military uprising by the Wagner mercenary group late last month, thanked other SCO leaders for supporting "Russian leadership's actions aimed at safeguarding constitutional structures and the lives and safety of the citizenry." Putin was quoted by Russia's Tass news agency as saying "a hybrid war" has been waged against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, adding it involves "illegal sanctions on Russia that are unprecedented in scale." "Russia has been and will continue to confidently counter external pressure, sanctions and provocative incitements," Putin reportedly said. The SCO comprises China, Russia, India, Pakistan and the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Iran will join the "SCO family as its new member" and that the regional body also welcomes the signing of a memorandum for Belarus to join the organization. Belarus is a close Russian ally, and its president, Alexander Lukashenko, brokered a deal with the founder of Wagner to halt the rebellion.

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