The Shanghai Summit scored an important goal against the American side. (Sputnik/AFP)

The “Shanghai Organization” summit held in early September in the Chinese city of Tianjin issued a yellow warning card to the powerful American player, at a sensitive moment in the first half led personally by President Donald Trump since the start of his second term earlier this year.

The summit was attended by the heads of all ten member states of the organization, in addition to leaders of the 16 observer countries, along with 10 representatives of influential international organizations. This was the first time all these high-level participants gathered together. The unexpected surprise was the attendance of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after a near seven-year rift with China.

The image of Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin was the most impactful, causing a shock among decision-makers in Washington, as it came after intense efforts by the Trump administration to widen the gap between Russia and China on one hand, and to deepen the estrangement—or hostility—between China and India on the other. This administration offered significant incentives to Moscow, especially regarding the Ukrainian issue, to strengthen a partnership that worries Beijing. It also elevated India’s international status as China’s closest competitor, especially after surpassing China in population, ranking first globally in that regard.

India’s decision to activate its role in the Shanghai Organization and previously in BRICS is not accidental but stems from a deliberate plan, carrying a new vision that blames the United States for imposing a 50% tariff increase on Indian exports, and rejects President Trump’s request for New Delhi to stop importing large quantities of Russian oil and gas and to re-export part of it to global markets. Modi’s presence at the Tianjin summit gave it strong momentum, despite the importance of other leaders’ attendance, notably those from Turkey, Iran, Serbia, and Slovakia, given their significant roles in this sensitive phase of international relations.

Since assuming leadership in Washington for his new term, President Trump has acted as if he were the head of the global system, not just the U.S. president. He began assigning roles to organizations and regions, imposing customs, political, and military restrictions on many countries, and even announced intentions to make geopolitical changes, including buying or annexing entities and islands into U.S. sovereignty. His measures affected both friends and rivals alike, sparing neither NATO allies from criticism, restrictions, and sometimes threats. He marginalized their roles in Ukraine and the Middle East and demanded they align their policies toward China and India with U.S. interests, sometimes against their own national interests.

In any case, the Shanghai Summit represents a significant political slap to U.S. policy, serving as a yellow card warning to President Trump that could lead to suspending his participation among the major players, even if he remains the strongest. He had begun playing teams with allies and adversaries alike, hoping to increase his influence on the international stage, especially with East Asian countries and Australia. His military conducted separate maneuvers with each country, particularly Australia, Japan, the Philippines, and India, imposing a different relationship pattern with each, without uniform customs or security standards.

The Shanghai Summit achieved an important goal against the American side, indicating a different future international status, as the participating countries represent about one-third of the world’s population and their combined economies exceed 24% of global income. The summit did not neglect the military aspect at all, as most participating presidents were guests at a celebration in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square featuring a massive military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and victory over Japan. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un participated for the first time, adding a distinctive flavor given his country’s advanced nuclear arsenal and tense relations with the United States.

The United States’ global power is undeniable; it remains the strongest player without competition. However, solo play is insufficient to win the game regardless of a player’s ability; a team with role distribution is necessary, especially in defense and counterattacks.

Strong Washington suffers significant imbalances, leaving many gaps exploitable by adversaries. Its relations with European allies are at their lowest, who accuse the new administration of marginalizing their role and possibly encroaching on their geographic spaces by seeking to annex Greenland, the giant Danish island. Arab countries criticize the Trump administration for covering Israel’s aggressive and unjust policies against Palestinians and neighboring states, opposing the two-state solution agreed upon by the international community. The United Nations and its specialized agencies suffer marginalization due to U.S. targeting and imposed sanctions.