Commentary
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s meeting this month in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, was notable for two reasons. First, it was Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping’s first visit outside China since the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, the meeting showed that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is subordinate to China. Both are significant and reveal Xi’s growing confidence in his position to create an anti-Western bloc of nations and as the leader of the Sino-Russian partnership.
At their meeting on the summit’s sidelines, the first since they met at the Beijing Winter Olympics in February, Xi expressed support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. There was also the pledge to advance their “core interests” and offer a “united front” against the West. Russia also offered its support for the CCP’s claim to Taiwan. China is increasing its oil purchases from Russia in an effort to boost the Russian economy in the face of Western economic sanctions. No doubt, they conducted an assessment of their relationship, and future goals and plans were secretly discussed….