Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to advance the concept of a multipolar world order during his four-day visit to China, Kremlin officials said, as he prepares to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin.
His meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the city of Tianjin to the south-east of Beijing should lead to "additional powerful momentum" in the creation of this world order, Putin told China's Xinhua state news agency.
He did not mention the United States, Ukraine and Moscow's "special military operation" to conquer its neighboring country in the long-format interview published on the Kremlin's website.
However, Putin has repeatedly spoken in favor of ending U.S. dominance of world affairs. In the interview, he also noted the weakening the dollar. Russia and China, for example, have almost completely switched their trade to their national currencies.
He also sees strengthening the Global South, led by the BRICS countries, originally Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, with new members joining, as an essential part of a new world order.
According to the Kremlin, Putin is scheduled to hold talks in China with numerous leaders, including from India, Türkiye, Iran, Serbia and Pakistan.
The summit, which is due to run from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1, will be the largest since the SCO was founded 24 years ago to combat terrorism and deepen economic cooperation, according to Beijing.
China, the current chair country, expects representatives from 20 countries and 10 organizations to attend.
The SCO now has 10 member states. In addition to founders Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, it also includes India, Pakistan, Iran since 2023 and Belarus since 2024.
