Image Credentials: Image Title: Beijing Hosts Global Leaders as China Seeks Greater Diplomatic Role Source: (Sora.Chatgpt) Date: August 2025. Attribution: Created by AI-generated imagery (Sora. ChatGPT), it does not depict a real-world scene.
By Staff Writer | Open Chronicle with Agencies
Beijing is preparing to host a series of high-profile political and military events next week, with several prominent non-Western leaders confirming their attendance. Among them are Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
At a moment of heightened global instability, amplified by unilateral U.S. actions under President Donald Trump, analysts suggest that the events offer Chinese President Xi Jinping a strategic opportunity to project his country as a diplomatic heavyweight ready to move beyond its economic influence and assume a leading global role.
President Xi Jinping will gather more than 20 world leaders at a regional security forum in China next week in a powerful show of Global South solidarity in the age of Donald Trump while also helping sanctions-hit Russia pull off another a diplomatic coup https://t.co/B8qEbXLxyk
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 26, 2025
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit
Xi’s diplomatic agenda begins on Sunday with the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The group includes major regional players such as India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, alongside 16 other affiliated nations. The political meetings will extend into Monday.
Although the SCO has often been described as a counterweight to NATO and a platform for deepening ties between Beijing, Moscow, and Central Asian states, experts argue that the summit’s value lies less in tangible outcomes and more in the symbolism of convening diverse leaders under China’s initiative.
“The SCO works by consensus. When you bring countries with deep divisions — like India and Pakistan, or China and India — into the same room, it naturally limits ambitions,” said Lizzi Lee of the Asia Society Policy Institute in an interview with AFP. Yet, she emphasized that for Beijing, simply hosting the gathering serves its core objectives by demonstrating China’s “power of convocation” and challenging the notion of Western dominance in global governance.
A Military Display in Tiananmen Square
On Wednesday, world leaders are expected to attend a major military parade in Tiananmen Square, marking the anniversaries of the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. Chinese officials have signaled that the parade will showcase advanced domestically manufactured weapons systems, underscoring the country’s “great capacity” to prevail in modern warfare.
Strategic Positioning Amid U.S. Tensions
Chinese officials have framed the events as a response to “hegemonism and power politics,” a veiled reference to the United States. Vice Foreign Minister Liu Bin recently argued that the SCO summit would provide stability in contrast to the U.S. approach of economic tariffs and unilateral actions, even against allies.
The participation of Putin and Kim carries special significance for Xi’s calculations regarding Washington. Analysts suggest that Beijing’s ability to influence North Korea and maintain strong ties with Russia strengthens Xi’s hand in any potential dialogue with Trump. The U.S. president has expressed interest in meeting Kim again and continues to seek, so far unsuccessfully, a resolution to the war in Ukraine with Putin.
Diverging Agendas of Attending Leaders
For Putin, the Beijing summit offers a platform to advance his narrative on Ukraine, pushing for what he calls a “just conclusion” to the conflict, said Dylan Loh, a professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.
Kim’s presence is particularly notable, as he rarely participates in multilateral forums. Beyond showcasing his alignment with China and Russia, attending the summit allows North Korea to project legitimacy by engaging with a wider circle of international leaders.
Conclusion
While the SCO summit and Tiananmen military parade may not yield immediate policy breakthroughs, they underline Beijing’s growing role as a convener of global power. For Xi Jinping, the presence of Putin, Modi, Kim, and others affirms China’s ability to shape international dynamics, even in a fractured and contested global order.