China showed a face of unity amid escalating regional conflicts and trade disputes at a major Chinese security summit attended by leaders from Russia, India, Iran, and other countries outside the NATO umbrella on Sunday.

Chinese President and Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping said at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, which is aligned with Russia: “The world is witnessing changes not seen in a century, with a significant increase in instability and uncertainty.”

During a celebratory dinner in the northern coastal city of Tianjin, Xi stated that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization must take greater responsibility for maintaining peace and stability in the region.

He made these remarks in front of several heads of state and government, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom Xi warmly greeted with a friendly handshake.

Upon arrival at the dinner, Xi spoke with Putin, whom he often refers to as an “old friend.” The two leaders also stood side by side for the so-called “family photo.”

The organization is largely dominated by authoritarian regimes whose leaders face international criticism for human rights violations.

Once again, the summit provided Putin, who remains isolated in parts of the West due to his aggressive war on Ukraine, a platform to highlight his close ties with China and other Asian countries.

However, US President Donald Trump had recently warmly welcomed Putin at a summit held in Alaska. Putin explained in an interview with China’s official news agency Xinhua that his focus during his four-day visit to China is not on tensions with the West but on building a multipolar world order.

Putin is expected to stay in China for several days and attend a military parade on September 3 in the capital Beijing, alongside North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The parade marks the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II.

China is considered Russia’s most important ally in its war against Ukraine, having so far refrained from condemning Moscow’s actions and supported Russian demands in its proposals to resolve the conflict.

Additionally, according to accusations from Western countries, China supplies Russia with goods that can be used for both civilian and military purposes, supporting the Russian military industry.

Xi’s meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received close attention amid the decades-long border dispute. As a gesture of improving relations, Xi called for closer cooperation with India.

Xi told Modi: “China and India are partners, not adversaries,” adding that both countries represent opportunities for development, not threats to each other. Modi described his meeting with Xi as “fruitful.”

The world’s two most populous countries now appear to be moving toward a new diplomatic rapprochement after years of tension.

The tense relations stem from a long-standing border dispute in the Himalayas, which Beijing considers part of southern Tibet, while New Delhi sees it as part of India’s northern Arunachal Pradesh state.

In 2020, clashes between soldiers from both sides in the area resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and 4 Chinese soldiers. Since then, relations between the two nuclear powers have deteriorated.

Modi wrote on the platform X after his meeting with Xi in Tianjin: “We agreed that it is important to maintain peace and calm in the border areas.”

Xi and Modi held their first talks after last year’s conflict in Russia on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, marking the first sign of significant improvement in relations after deadly clashes.

During a recent meeting in India, the two sides agreed on a ten-point plan to achieve “peace and calm” along the shared border and plan to resume issuing tourist visas and direct flights.

Washington is likely to closely monitor the Tianjin talks, especially after imposing a 50% tariff on Indian imports to punish New Delhi for continuing to buy oil from Moscow despite its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Putin pledged to revive the idea of a multipolar world order during his visit to China, where he will also attend a large-scale military parade in Beijing.

China remains India’s most important trading partner, and the three leaders are expected to seek to expand cooperation to counter US influence.

Modi arrived in China following a visit to Japan, where he agreed with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to double private investments in India to 10 billion yen ($68 million) over the next ten years.