China on Thursday hosted defence ministers from Iran, Russia, and other countries at a high-level security meeting in Qingdao.
The meeting, part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' summit, took place in the eastern Chinese port city, home to one of China's major naval bases.
The gathering comes at a time when the Middle East grapples with the aftermath of a 12-day war between Israel and Iran, which has been temporarily paused by a ceasefire.
The event also followed a NATO summit in The Hague, where Western allies committed to boosting defence spending, in line with demands from US President Donald Trump.
China, a founding member of the SCO, has consistently presented the group as a counterbalance to Western military and political alliances.
The SCO includes major players such as China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asian nations.
Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun opened the meeting by warning against what he described as growing unilateralism and protectionism, which, he said, were fuelling instability worldwide.
"Hegemonic, domineering and bullying acts severely undermine the international order," Dong stated, calling for stronger collaboration among SCO nations to maintain a stable environment for development.
He also urged member states to take "more robust actions to jointly safeguard the environment for peaceful development".
In his address, India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted the shifting global landscape, stating that the world is facing "drastic transformation" with the momentum of globalisation slowing down.
"The world we live in is undergoing a drastic transformation. Globalisation, which once brought us closer together, has been losing momentum," he said.
Singh said SCO members must work together to meet the expectations of their citizens and confront shared challenges.
Meanwhile, Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov met with Dong Jun on the sidelines of the summit, praising the growing strategic ties between Moscow and Beijing.
"Friendly relations between our countries maintain upward dynamics of development in all directions," Belousov said.
Despite China's claim of neutrality in Russia's ongoing war with Ukraine, Western countries have accused Beijing of providing Moscow with critical economic and diplomatic support.
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