Alwaght- The meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organization leaders that was held Monday and Tuesday in the Chinese city of Tianjin marked a turning point in contemporary geopolitical developments. The meeting no only represented an event for dialogue of the member states, but also presented a setting in which the bloc declared end of the Western monopoly on the world order.
In Tianjin, the bloc's members stressed on regional peace and stability and expansion of cooperation at all levels.
The leaders signed 20 cooperation documents and a final statement. The documents included founding a comprehensive center to address security threats and challenges and a center for fighting drugs trafficking, approving 10-year strategy, cooperating in AI area, green industries, science and technology, multilateral trade, sustainable grow, and energy.
This year's meet was not am ordinary gathering, rather, due to growing competition among Eastern and Western powers, the meeting carried meaningful economic and political messages to the world, giving out a clear picture of the shift in the balance of power.
SCO's political position upgrade
In today’s conditions, with the world shifting toward multipolarity, the statements and stances of leaders at this summit made it clear that the East is laying out and locking in a new order—one designed to reflect the values, interests, and priorities of non-Western states and push back against the West’s long-standing dominance.
They hammered home the point that the current international order—built and propped up by Western powers—no longer matches today’s realities and must give way to fairer and more inclusive arrangements.
Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the need to remake the framework of global governance—not around domination and hegemony, but through cooperation, mutual respect, and equal participation. He argued that the world must move past the straitjackets of the Cold War legacy and power politics, and formally recognize the role of developing and emerging countries. With a clear jab at US policies, he underlined: “We must continue to take a firm stand against hegemony and coercive politics, and put genuine multilateralism into practice.”
For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin lashed out at the Western security model and called for a new framework built on real multilateralism that could guarantee both regional and global stability. Such remarks underscore the determination of Asia’s major players to break Western monopoly over global decision-making.
Equally striking was the symbolic presence of leaders from across the region, with stage-managed moments of solidarity and unity sending a strong message: the East is no longer just a geographical concept—it is coalescing into a political and strategic bloc.
The political takeaway for the West could hardly be missed: the world is no longer willing to settle for US-led dominance. The Eastern bloc, spearheaded by China and Russia, is visibly sketching out a new order in which power is spread more evenly and non-Western nations take the lead.
The participation of non-member states in the summit not only underscored the importance of the gathering but also highlighted the SCO’s growing weight in global affairs and its role in reshaping the balance of power and influence worldwide.
Economic and financial messages of the summit
One of the outstanding features of the summit was the decision by member states to ramp up economic and financial cooperation within the SCO. The launch of an SCO development bank and China’s unveiling of aid and credit packages showed that the goal goes far beyond symbolic political gestures: it is about building alternative institutions to challenge Western-dominated financial structures.
Such steps pave the way for settling accounts in national currencies and cutting reliance on the US dollar. This would not only shield member economies from sanctions and Western coercive tools, but also speed up the slow decline of American financial hegemony.
For decades, one of the West’s most powerful levers in steering the global order has been its grip on the dollar and the international banking system. But as new financial mechanisms take shape in the East, that lever is bound to lose its bite. A steady weakening of the dollar’s dominance and the rise of rival frameworks will mean Western firms and governments gradually cede part of their traditional markets and influence.
The summit also put on the table practical steps: boosting trade volumes among members and rolling out joint projects in energy, infrastructure, and transport. These moves underline that the SCO is shifting gears—from talk to action—and positioning itself as an emerging economic pole against the West.
For Western capitals, the message was loud and clear: global decisions can no longer be hammered out only in Washington and Brussels. For the U.S. and Europe, the summit carried a warning—they will need to adapt to a multipolar world.
That shift carries heavy implications. With China and the Global South flexing their muscles, the West will no longer be able to force through its agenda as in the past. The more countries that join or team up with the SCO, the smaller the West’s circle of influence will become.
The expansion of energy cooperation within the SCO framework also spells a reduced reliance by many states on resources under Western control.
China’s massive investments in infrastructure and economic projects—especially under the Belt and Road Initiative (RBI)—are set to open up new trade routes where Europe and the US will find themselves playing a much smaller role.
For decades, the West wielded decisive influence in crisis management through military and security pacts. But with Asia now building up its own security cooperation under the SCO framework, new models of security interaction are coming to the fore—models that aim to edge out the Western playbook.
China's grand power military parade
Alongside the summit, China staged a lavish event dubbed the “Great Parade” to mark the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan in World War II. The spectacle, attended by officials from dozens of countries, was a full-scale show of China’s military muscle and cutting-edge technology.
On display were the latest missiles, air-defense systems, drones, and advanced equipment from the People’s Liberation Army. The sight of allied leaders standing shoulder to shoulder with President Xi sent a clear political message: Eastern powers are closing ranks not only in the economic and political spheres, but also on the military front.
The parade underscored that China is no longer just an economic heavyweight, but also it has built up significant military capabilities that could reshape global security balances. The presence of partners like Russia and others highlighted the deepening of security ties across the East.
Taken together, the SCO summit and China’s show of force drove home one reality for the West: the world is no longer run under the unilateral leadership of the US and its allies. Instead, it is moving toward a multipolar order in which the Eastern bloc, led by China, Russia, and Iran, is fast emerging as a central pole.
