Chinese President Xi Jinping to Meet Putin Returning from North Korea... Attends Kazakhstan SCO Summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin again after a month and a half during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit held in Kazakhstan. Given the rapid progress in North Korea-Russia relations following Putin's visit to North Korea, discussions are expected to cover the deployment of troops to Ukraine and issues related to the Korean Peninsula.

According to the state-run Xinhua News Agency on the 2nd, President Xi set off to attend the 24th SCO Council of Heads of State meeting and to make state visits to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. From the 2nd to the 4th, Xi will make a state visit to Kazakhstan at the invitation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and attend the SCO summit (from the 3rd to the 4th). From the 4th to the 6th, he will make a state visit to Tajikistan at the invitation of President Emomali Rahmon.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Russian President Putin is scheduled to attend this SCO summit, making a meeting with President Xi anticipated. This will be their first meeting since the Beijing summit on May 16, about a month and a half ago.

The agenda for the two leaders is likely to include not only the recently strengthened ties between Russia and North Korea but also the issue of North Korean troops being deployed to Ukraine. China is closely monitoring developments following the recent signing of a 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty' between North Korea and Russia, which effectively restores their military alliance. Experts believe there is a possibility that North Korean troops could be deployed to regions such as Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, which Russia has occupied, annexed, and declared as its own territory.

Founded in June 2001 by six countries?China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan?the SCO currently has nine full members, including the original members plus India, Pakistan, and Iran. China positions the SCO as a core part of its Belt and Road Initiative (land and maritime Silk Road project).

Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a briefing the day before, "The upcoming Astana summit (in Kazakhstan) is the most important event held under the SCO framework this year. During the meeting, President Xi will exchange in-depth views with leaders of member countries on deepening sectoral cooperation under the new circumstances and on major current international and regional issues, and will present plans and measures for the next stage of SCO development."