Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are among the twenty world leaders attending a regional security summit in China.
Ahead of the annual gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the port city of Tianjin, Modi is holding talks with China’s president, Xi Jinping. It is Modi’s first time in China in seven years.
Putin, who is a close ally of China, arrived to a rolled out red carpet in Tianjin on Sunday.
The summit comes as US President Trump has imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods as punishment for Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil, and Putin faces threats of sanctions for his ongoing war on Ukraine.
There are 10 member states in the Beijing backed SCO – including Pakistan, Iran – and 16 dialogue partners and observers.
The summit itself is largely symbolic but will allow leaders to air common grievances and shared interests – and this year the gathering will be overshadowed by trade wars with the US.
The organisation was created by China, Russia and four Central Asian countries in 2001 as a countermeasure to limit the influence of Western alliances such as Nato.
This year’s gathering is the largest since the organisation was founded.
For Tianjin, the summit has become a major event with banners and billboards promoting it throughout the northern port city.
At night tens of thousands of local spectators have been cramming into the riverside area to see a lightshow displayed on tower blocks while the gathering is taking place.
The streets have been heavily crowded – making it difficult for people to even move, especially on and around the historic Jiefang Bridge.
During the day pedestrians are at times being made to wait as roadblocks go up to allow the motorcades of visiting world leaders to pass by quickly.
Taxis and other hire car services have been suspended in the downtown area, but this has not dampened the enthusiasm of crowds of people wanting to be part of what has been described as a historic meeting.
However, police have advised Tianjin’s more than 13 million residents to avoid moving around the city if possible and to stick to shops nearby them to purchase any immediate necessities.
The meeting comes days before the massive military parade that will mark 80 years since the end of World War II.
