China’s leader Xi Jinping has called on Russia, India and other countries in the region to join China in leveraging their economic influence to challenge the west at a time of rising geopolitical and trade tensions, reports the Financial Times. Xi, hosting a regional security forum on Monday, told more than 20 leaders that with the world undergoing “turbulence and change”, they needed to uphold an “orderly multi-polar world”.
This included championing free trade and “a more just and reasonable global governance system”, Xi said in a clear challenge to the current US-led system.
“We should expand the scope of co-operation, make the most of each country’s unique strengths, and shoulder together the shared responsibility of promoting regional peace, stability and prosperity,” Xi told world leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.