China To Hold SCO Summit In Tianjin From Aug 31 To Sept 1: Wang Yi
Leaders from more than 20 countries and heads of 10 international organisations will attend the Tianjin Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and related events next month, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday.
The SCO Tianjin Summit will be held from August 31-September 1, Wang said during a joint press meeting with SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev here, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders of the SCO member states were expected to attend the summit. Earlier in the day, the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the 10-member grouping was held here with a focus on making political preparations for the summit, official media reported.
At Tuesday's meeting, participants exchanged views on cooperation across various SCO sectors and discussed key international and regional issues, state-run CGTN reported.
A series of resolutions and official documents were signed, it said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi were among those who attended the meeting, which was presided by Foreign Minister Wang.
The SCO, comprising India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Belarus, is an influential economic and security bloc that has emerged as one of the largest transregional international organisations.
Ahead of the meeting, the SCO Foreign Ministers met Chinese President Xi Jinping, who called for improving mechanisms to address security threats and challenges. With the SCO Summit set to take place this year in China's Tianjin, Xi expressed hope to meet the leaders of other member states at the event to discuss the future development of the organisation.
He stressed that in the face of a turbulent and changing international landscape, the SCO must stay focused, remain confident, act efficiently and play a more proactive role in injecting greater stability and positive energy into the world.
In a veiled dig at the US, President Xi called for joint efforts to firmly oppose hegemony, power politics, and bullying in order to promote a more equal and balanced multipolar world.
Speaking on behalf of the SCO ministers at their meeting with Xi, Lavrov said that through its steadfast commitment to the Shanghai Spirit, the SCO has achieved notable cooperation outcomes and gained increasing international appeal.
The practice has proven that the Shanghai Spirit, which is characterised by mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations, and pursuit of common development, aligns with member states' shared interests and demonstrates robust vitality, he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
24 minutes ago
- First Post
Critical minerals: India should bide its time and build strategic capacity
India currently produces only 1 per cent of global output in critical rare earth minerals even though it has 6 per cent of the reserves—but concrete steps are now underway to boost production and diversify supply sources read more A worry about what to do with EV lithium batteries once their life is over, in about eight years, based on current technology, is being addressed. Instead of heaping them up without use, the batteries can be recycled to extract critical rare earth minerals. This process is faster and is at least 25 per cent cheaper than setting up greenfield mines and refining facilities, and it deals with some part of the waste material at the same time. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India could even import expired EV batteries to recycle their rare earth minerals and magnets. It already runs some of the largest ship scrappage facilities in the world and attracts many large ships at the end of their useful life from all over the world. China's trade war with America is based on the restricted sale and export of critical minerals/metals/magnets. But it also restricts such sales in general so that the requirements cannot be sourced from third countries not on the embargoed list. This has prompted most of the world to seek alternatives. India and its fast-developing aatmanirbharta manufacturing programme has been hit hard as stockpiles of the rare earth magnets run out. Besides recycling, several countries, including major consumers in the US and Europe, plan to increase the mining of their own resources and set up refining plants for end products. So far, most countries that have been hit with Chinese embargoes were content to source them from China for its cost advantages and the fact that mining and refining rare earth minerals is a highly polluting business. Despite being a near monopoly on the part of China, the price of rare earth minerals, metals, and magnets has been falling, according to Australia. This may be another engineered tactic on the part of the Chinese to keep competition out. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, even as countries resolve to reduce this dependence on China, alternative facilities cannot sprout overnight. The sudden shortage is crippling the Electrical Vehicle (EV) production market. In addition, the renewable energy resources area, in which India has been making rapid strides, is also hampered. Likewise, the crucial defence manufacturing ventures that use sophisticated electronics as well. For the moment the leverage advantage is definitely with China. India is not only planning to mine its own reserves of rare earth minerals but has also been active in setting up trade agreements with other countries in Africa and South America that have these resources. America has large reserves in-country as well and could well become a newly developed source. So while China, because of its dominance and economies of scale in the field, can hamper and disrupt various activities for now, it is probably not for too protracted a period. Other supply chains are under development, with cooperation between nations without involving China. Explorations are ongoing in new countries like Oman, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Thereafter, as this effort is up and running over the next few years, China may find itself in trouble trying to export these very monopolistic resources that it has spent so much time and money developing. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, India is already taking some concrete steps. It proposes to incentivise domestic production of rare earth minerals and magnets by Indian companies with an amount of Rs 1,345 crores. The key target sectors are electric vehicles, electronics, and defence. One item, for example, neodymium magnets, is crucial in EVs, wind energy systems, mobile phones, and defence equipment. The early Indian initiative is designed to support the production of 1,500 tonnes of rare earth magnets. India currently produces only 1 per cent of global output in critical rare earth minerals even though it has 6 per cent of the global reserves. India is also exploring a partnership with Australia, which has at least 5 per cent and is selling it to Japan, which has managed to reduce its dependence on China to 60 per cent. However, Australia is highly dependent on China for its trade and investments and cannot go against Chinese wishes. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Therefore, India is also looking elsewhere for supplies. Presently, China controls 69 per cent of the rare earth minerals, metals, and magnets production and market. America contributes 12 per cent, Myanmar holds 11 per cent. Myanmar is under strong influence of China, which takes the joint tally to about 80 per cent. The manufacturing process combines light rare earth elements such as neodymium and praseodymium with traces of heavy rare earths such as dysprosium and terbium. Procuring all these elements is not easy. India currently produces the light rare earth items, some 2,900 tonnes worth, and none of the heavy earth minerals. Most of the product is found in coastal beach sands with low mineral content. Samarium-cobalt magnets are being developed in a pilot plant for the defence industry. Explorations are going on in different coastal and sand-rich interior states like Rajasthan. It's lithium that has been discovered in Jammu and Kashmir, but that is another part of the EV jigsaw. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Efforts are also ongoing to develop sodium-ion batteries in countries like Japan and ever more efficient internal combustion engines with almost nil pollution in various developed economies. This will prolong and preserve their automotive fuel-based industries. Then, there is propulsion using hydrogen. India has made both buses and trains at the trial stage that can run on hydrogen and have nil pollutants. It also has hydrogen-producing factories. Other technological applications such as nuclear energy are also being explored to take a leaf out of nuclear-powered submarines, aircraft carriers, and some specialised ships. For the moment, however, there is very little option but to persuade China to sell us rare earth minerals and magnets to keep various industries going. This will take negotiation and give and take. America, for example, which had put restrictions on high-end electronic chips from being sold to China, has been forced to lift them in exchange for the rare earth products. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The writer is a Delhi-based political commentator. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.
NDTV
40 minutes ago
- NDTV
Ukrainian Forces Test Next-Gen Drones, Catch US Military's Attention: Report
A frontline Ukrainian unit is reportedly emerging as a leader in drone warfare, testing and improving advanced technologies during active combat. As the war with Russia becomes more focused on aerial tactics, the unit's experience is reshaping modern military operations and offering insights to allies such as the US, according to an exclusive in The New York Post. This unit under the 3rd Assault Brigade is leading the way in drone use, effectively using both aerial and ground drones in combat. Its drone operations are shaping the war's trajectory, the report claimed. "This brigade systematically uses assault drones in its operations," said a commander, identified by his callsign "Makar," from the unit. "They close the distance between Russian and Ukrainian troops because they can go farther than is safe for troops," he said. All drones are domestically made and developed in coordination between Ukrainian engineers and frontline soldiers. This real-time feedback system enables quick improvements, making the drones more effective. One major challenge for foreign developers is the lack of opportunity to gain real battlefield experience for their systems in their home countries, Makar said. "They can have a great idea, but they won't know it won't work in modern warfare until they come here. If they come to Ukraine, they can have close contact directly with troops, so changes can be made overnight instead of wasting time," he added. Ukraine's focus on building its own defence industry has led to a major shift. Now 40 per cent of its military equipment is made domestically, with a target of taking it to 50 per cent by next year. This has given Ukraine an edge over the US in some aspects of drone use and strategy. Makar said that his unit was open to collaborating with international weapons manufacturers. Such partnerships, he said, would benefit both sides. While it would give Ukraine access to new technologies, defence companies would receive real-time feedback to refine and certify their products as "battle-tested." Another Ukrainian soldier, who uses the callsign "Acrobat", highlighted the urgency of sharing this knowledge with global allies. According to The Post, he said, "Even if our country is killed, Russia will not stop. It will take these tactics and battlefield knowledge with them as they invade other countries." Ukraine's industrial leaders recognise the importance of these developments in drone warfare. Oleksandr Biletskyi, vice president of the country's League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, highlighted Ukraine's long-standing defence engineering background, saying, "The tank industries, the rocket industry of the Soviet Union, were always done by Ukrainians." Now, Ukraine is showing how frontline experience and innovation can transform not just its own defences, but global military thinking. In the US, the Pentagon appears to be taking notice. As reported by The Post, the US Army recently conducted its first test of a grenade-dropping drone, a tactic already deployed hundreds of times daily in Ukraine.
Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
Kyiv erupts: Massive protests rock Zelensky amid explosive anti-corruption scandal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sparked backlash after signing a new anti-corruption law that critics warn could weaken the country's key watchdog agencies, NABU and SAPO, by stripping them of their independence. Zelensky said the law is important to remove Russian influence from Ukraine's anti-corruption system. The two agencies offices were raided by Ukraine's security services after some claims came up about Russian infiltration, as per The US Sun report. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Design Thinking Healthcare MCA MBA PGDM Leadership Project Management Technology Operations Management CXO Degree Others Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Digital Marketing Data Science Data Analytics healthcare Management others Public Policy Finance Data Science Product Management Skills you'll gain: Duration: 25 Weeks IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK PCP DTIM Async India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 22 Weeks IIM Indore CERT-IIMI DTAI Async India Starts on undefined Get Details Zelensky said that putting all corruption cases under Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko will help speed up big criminal cases. He believes many cases stay stuck for years, and this new setup will make the justice system faster and stronger, as per the reports. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Even Beautiful Women Have Their 'Oops' Moments Read More ALSO READ: Coca Cola rival Poppi to pay $8.9 million to soda drinkers — no receipt needed to claim your share Zelensky held a meeting with all law enforcement and anti-corruption agency heads, including Kravchenko, and posted about it on X. He told Ukrainians, 'We all have one enemy: the Russian occupiers,' and added that justice must be strong and quick. But many Ukrainians are angry — they believe this gives Zelensky too much control over independent agencies, as stated by The US Sun report. Live Events Protests break out across Ukraine After the bill passed, thousands of people protested in Kyiv, making it the biggest protest since Russia invaded in 2022. Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a war veteran, started the rally and told people to meet near the Ivan Franko Theatre, as per the reports. He posted on social media: 'We must take to the streets tonight… see you this evening!' Other cities like Lviv, Dnipro, and Odesa also saw protests on the same night. The protests were peaceful, but police presence was high everywhere, according to The US Sun report. Protesters held handmade signs, including ones that said, 'We chose Europe, not autocracy.' 'My father did not die for this', further added. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, also a former world boxing champion, joined the protest and said, 'SAPO and NABU must remain independent.' What the new law actually does The new law makes the Prosecutor General the boss of NABU and SAPO. It lets him transfer cases or assign new prosecutors, even if the agencies are working on the case. Zelensky says this will help speed up justice and get rid of Russian spies, as mentioned in the report by The US Sun. ALSO READ: LinkedIn job applications surge 45% as AI tools like ChatGPT, resume Bots, and hiring automation take over the job search in 2025 But the head of NABU warns the law could destroy Ukraine's entire anti-corruption setup. G7 ambassadors are worried about the bill. The European Union also warned Ukraine not to make any quick decisions that could hurt its justice system. The bill was voted in by Parliament on July 22, with 263 lawmakers in favor, 13 against, and 13 not voting. It was quickly signed into law by Zelensky afterward. NABU and SAPO leaders have already asked Zelensky to cancel the new law, according to The US Sun report. FAQs Q1. Why are people protesting against Zelensky's new anti-corruption law? People say the law gives Zelensky too much control and weakens Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies NABU and SAPO. Q2. What does Zelensky's anti-corruption law change in Ukraine? The law puts all major corruption cases under the control of the prosecutor general, reducing NABU and SAPO's independence.
