Qingdao (TDI): Against the backdrop of mounting global instability and a NATO summit in Europe, China convened defense ministers from Iran, Russia, and several other nations on Thursday in the coastal city of Qingdao.
The gathering took place under the banner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a regional group of 10 countries. Over time, Beijing has encouraged member states to work more closely together not just on security and defense, but also in areas like trade, science, and technology.
This year’s meeting comes at a critical moment, as a fragile truce between Iran and Israel appears to be holding after nearly two weeks of intense conflict.
It also coincides with a NATO summit in The Hague, where Western leaders agreed to increase military budgets to meet US President Donald Trump’s demands for higher defense spending.
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China’s Defense Minister Dong Jun, addressing delegates in Qingdao, home to one of the country’s key naval bases, warned of rising global disorder.
“We are witnessing accelerated changes of historic proportions. Unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise,” Dong said.
He criticized what he called “hegemonic and bullying behavior” that he claimed threatens the international order and urged SCO members to “take stronger action to safeguard a peaceful development environment.”
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Among those attending were defense officials from Pakistan, Belarus, Iran, and Russia. On the sidelines, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov described Moscow-Beijing relations as being at “an unprecedentedly high level,” emphasizing continued cooperation across military, political, and economic domains.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
