China welcomed defence ministers from Iran, Russia, and other Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) members to Qingdao on June 26, 2025, for a high-stakes summit. Held against a fragile Middle East ceasefire and NATO’s recent defence spending pledge, the meeting underscores Beijing’s push to position the SCO as a counterweight to Western alliances. Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun framed the gathering as a call for global stability amid rising tensions.
The Qingdao summit, hosted in a city with a major Chinese naval base, follows a 12-day Israel-Iran conflict that ended in a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. Concurrently, NATO leaders in The Hague agreed on June 25 to increase military spending, driven by U.S. President Donald Trump’s demands. Consequently, Dong Jun criticised “unilateralism and protectionism,” warning that “hegemonic acts” threaten global order, as reported by Xinhua. He urged SCO members, including Pakistan, Belarus, and others, to strengthen collaboration in security and trade.
#WATCH | Qingdao, China | Defence Minister Rajnath Singh welcomed by Chinese Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun at the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) Defence Ministers' meeting in Qingdao. pic.twitter.com/gdTkyPMVhk
— ANI (@ANI) June 26, 2025On the sidelines, Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov praised the “unprecedentedly high level” of China-Russia ties, emphasising their growing cooperation. Although China claims neutrality in Russia’s Ukraine conflict, Western nations argue Beijing provides Moscow with economic and diplomatic support. For instance, trade between China and Russia surged in 2024, per Reuters. With 10 members, the SCO aims to rival NATO’s influence, and this summit highlights its role in uniting non-Western powers.
Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun on Wednesday met with the defense ministers of several Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states, who are attending the Defense Ministers’ Meeting of the SCO member states in Qingdao, East China’s Shandong Province, according to the… pic.twitter.com/s7BMkYVbyE
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) June 25, 2025The Qingdao meeting signals China’s ambition to reshape global security dynamics. However, critics note Beijing’s delicate balancing act, maintaining ties with Iran and Russia while avoiding confrontation with the West. As Dong described, the SCO’s focus on countering “chaos” aligns with China’s narrative of challenging U.S.-led hegemony. Meanwhile, NATO’s spending hike raises fears of an arms race, complicating the Middle East ceasefire’s stability.
Read: NATO Backs Trump’s Defense Spending Hike, Reaffirms Collective Defense
