ISTANBUL
Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun on Thursday called for a joint response to “hegemonic behavior” as he met counterparts from India, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) defense summit in eastern China.
The two-day meeting, hosted in the Chinese port city of Qingdao, brought together defense ministers from all 10 SCO member states, including China, Russia, India, Iran, and several Central Asian countries.
Describing the SCO as “an important force in the practice of true multilateralism and in safeguarding global strategic stability,” Dong urged members to work together to counter “the negative effects of unilateralism, protectionism, and hegemonic behavior,” according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency.
He also reaffirmed China’s readiness to deepen cooperation with the defense departments and armed forces of fellow SCO members to strengthen regional security.
Participants echoed calls for closer defense ties within the SCO framework and expressed support for efforts to promote peace, stability, and development across the region, the news agency reported.
The summit marks the first visit to China by an Indian defense minister in five years, amid strained ties between the two countries.
While the SCO defense ministers met for talks on Wednesday and Thursday, no joint statement was issued, with reports indicating the members failed to reach a consensus.
Tensions within the bloc surfaced recently after India distanced itself from an earlier SCO statement condemning US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Established in 2001, the SCO is an intergovernmental organization comprising China, Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus.