When Xi Jinping gathers his closest international allies for one of the landmark summits of his more than a decade-long rule, many will be seeking reassurance after emerging scarred from conflicts.
They may not get it: the security-focused bloc co-founded by China has been all but absent when its partners needed it most.
Instead, China’s president is likely to dwell more on what’s ahead for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization at a time when Donald Trump tries to hem in Beijing’s ambitions and upends U.S. alliances with the likes of India. The spotlight will especially fall on any joint statement issued by the grouping and the tone it adopts on the U.S., along with the series of bilateral meetings expected to take place on the sidelines.
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