Putin and Xi Forge United Front Amid Global Power Shift

Russian President Vladimir Putin touched down in Tianjin, China, to participate in a vital regional security summit aimed at countering Western dominance in global affairs. This visit underscores Russia's tightening bonds with China, its largest trading partner, at a time of escalating geopolitical tensions.

Chinese state media hailed these ties as being at their 'best in history', a sentiment echoed during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, which Chinese President Xi Jinping is hosting. The event features around 20 world leaders, including India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking a large-scale diplomatic assembly.

The summit's ambitious agenda extends beyond security and counter-terrorism to encompass economic and military cooperation. It provides a diplomatic platform for Russia as it faces Western sanctions, reinforcing the Global South's unity through this strategic coalition of nations.

(With inputs from agencies.)