China hosts Iranian, Russian defence ministers against backdrop of ‘momentous change'
Qingdao – China hosted defence ministers from Iran and Russia for a meeting in its eastern seaside city of Qingdao on Thursday against the backdrop of war in the Middle East and a summit of NATO countries in Europe that agreed to boost military spending.
Beijing has long sought to present the 10-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as a counterweight to Western-led power blocs and has pushed to strengthen collaboration between its member countries in politics, security, trade and science.
The Qingdao meeting of the organisation's top defence officials comes as a fledgling ceasefire between Israel and Iran holds after 12 days of fighting between the arch-foes.
It is also being held the day after a summit of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) leaders in The Hague, where members agreed to ramp up their defence spending to satisfy US President Donald Trump.
Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun framed Thursday's meeting of officials in Qingdao, home to a major Chinese naval base, as a counterweight to a world in 'chaos and instability'.
'As momentous changes of the century accelerate, unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise,' Dong said as he welcomed defence chiefs from Russia, Iran, Pakistan, Belarus and elsewhere on Wednesday, according to state news agency Xinhua.
'Hegemonic, domineering and bullying acts severely undermine the international order,' he warned.
He urged his counterparts to 'take more robust actions to jointly safeguard the environment for peaceful development'.
Meeting Dong on the sidelines of the summit, Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov hailed ties between the two countries as being 'at an unprecedentedly high level'.
'Friendly relations between our countries maintain upward dynamics of development in all directions,' he said.
China has portrayed itself as a neutral party in Russia's war with Ukraine, although Western governments say its close ties have given Moscow crucial economic and diplomatic support.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
38 minutes ago
- Shafaq News
Ukraine targets Russian Su-34 jets in rare long-range strike
Shafaq News – Kyiv/ Moscow Ukraine struck four Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers at Marinovka airbase in southwestern Russia over the weekend, in one of Kyiv's deepest reported air attacks since the start of the war. The airbase, located near Volgograd and roughly 900 kilometers from Ukrainian-held territory, was targeted in a long-range operation confirmed by Ukraine's armed forces. Kyiv did not specify the weapon system used. Ukraine's air force also reported it intercepted 359 out of 363 drones and six of eight missiles launched during an overnight Russian barrage, underscoring the continuing intensity of aerial combat between the two sides. Military officials in Kyiv claimed Russia has lost over 100,000 personnel since the full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022, alongside 11,000 tanks and more than 42,500 drones. "Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it."Lou HoltzThe combat losses of the enemy from February 24, 2022 to June 28, 2025. — Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) June 28, 2025 Meanwhile, Russia's state-run TASS news agency announced that Russian forces had captured the village of Nova Kruhlyakivka in Ukraine's eastern Kharkiv region. The report has not been independently verified. A separate Russian strike damaged a major power facility in Ukraine's southern Kherson province, triggering blackouts across several towns, according to regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin. Russia's Western Group of Forces also announced that its troops had eliminated more than 210 Ukrainian soldiers in recent operations. The unit's press chief, Ivan Bigma, said air defense systems shot down 14 Ukrainian drones and destroyed multiple armored vehicles. Officials in Russia's Kursk region, near the Ukrainian border, said a Ukrainian drone attack injured a Chinese war correspondent from Phoenix TV, a state-run broadcaster. Russian authorities urged the United Nations to respond, calling the incident a threat to international media.
Shafaq News
3 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Gaza toll mounts as Tel Aviv protests intensify
Shafaq News - Gaza At least 72 Palestinians were killed overnight in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, including in Khan Younis, Gaza City, and near Palestine Stadium, according to the enclave's Health Ministry. According to Palestinian media, the Israeli military conducted attacks across the Strip with drone and jet strikes, targeting individuals and buildings alike. جانب من غارات الاحتلال على منازل الفلسطينيين في جباليا، شمال قطاع غزة. — شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) June 28, 2025 The new casualties raise Gaza's death toll to over 56,000 since the war began in October 2023. More than 6,000 have died since hostilities resumed in March, amid severe shortages of food, water, and medical aid. The humanitarian crisis continues to deepen, with widespread displacement, ongoing bombardments, and restricted access to essential services. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump projected a truce 'within a week,' citing progress in negotiations involving Israeli and US officials. Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer is expected in Washington for follow-up consultations to finalize terms. Qatari and Egyptian mediators have reportedly stepped up indirect talks with Hamas and Israel, with Hamas outlining its conditions for a Gaza ceasefire, demanding protections for its political bureau members abroad. Public anger escalated in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, where thousands marched in protest, demanding a ceasefire and the return of hostages. Demonstrators chanted against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the war, warning protests would continue until a resolution is achieved.
Shafaq News
6 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Post Iran-Israel war: Iraqi economist warns of vulnerabilities
Shafaq News - Basra Iraq's economy is increasingly exposed to external shocks and structural weaknesses following the Iran-Israel war, economist Nabil Al-Marsoumi warned on Saturday. Al-Marsoumi, a professor of economics at Basra University, stated that insurance premiums on oil tankers from the Gulf to Asia surged by 60% during the 12-day war, while transport costs—particularly to China and India—increased by 195%. These shifts, he noted, highlight Iraq's vulnerability to geopolitical disruptions in energy supply chains. He also warned that a prolonged conflict could have forced a closure of the Strait of Hormuz—a key route for most Iraqi oil exports. With the Ceyhan pipeline suspended since March 2023, Iraq would have been left without a viable export channel. Kurdistan's Gambit Al-Marsoumi assessed that halted oil flows from the Kurdistan Region, averaging around 400,000 barrels per day through the Ceyhan pipeline to Turkiye, represent a minor share of national revenue and can be compensated by output from central and southern fields. However, he emphasized that the more urgent concern lies in the Region's salary crisis. 'There is no legal or fiscal basis for delaying public sector wages,' he said, calling for a revenue-sharing framework that routes all oil and gas income through the federal treasury to ensure timely disbursements. Regarding the way the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is reportedly to take to cover salaries, he explained that this would be by using internal revenues while reducing employee allowances by 30%—a temporary measure that, in his view, underscores the absence of a political settlement between Erbil and Baghdad. Labor Imbalance Turning to Iraq's energy sector contracts, Al-Marsoumi pointed to structural deficiencies in foreign labor agreements. Unlike Iran, which retains over 250 Russian experts at its Bushehr nuclear facility under binding terms, Iraq lacks enforceable retention clauses. 'More than 5,000 foreign nationals currently work in Iraq's energy sector, often receiving compensation far exceeding local staff despite limited involvement in daily operations,' he noted, adding that this disparity places unnecessary financial strain on national resources. Al-Marsoumi described Iraq's business environment as fundamentally unattractive to foreign investors. He cited systemic corruption, armed group influence, weak infrastructure, legal complexity, and widespread rent-seeking as key deterrents. He rejected government claims of attracting $90 billion in foreign investment as 'media posturing,' pointing out that Iraq's balance of payments shows no evidence of actual capital inflows. Al-Marsoumi also criticized Iraq's continued dependence on imported gasoline and gas, calling it a policy contradiction for the world's second-largest oil producer. He contrasted this with Iran's heavily subsidized domestic fuel pricing. 'Iraq has made little tangible progress toward energy self-sufficiency. We need structural reform led by political leadership committed to economic diversification. Despite frequent public pledges to develop agriculture and industry, oil revenues continue to account for 91% of the federal budget.' To reduce external vulnerabilities, he recommended activating alternative export corridors through Turkiye, Syria, and Jordan. Price Volatility Al-Marsoumi reported that oil prices declined to around $66 per barrel after the conflict, with May revenues barely covering public payrolls. He urged the government to curb spending and expand non-oil revenue streams. He cited recent remarks by US President Donald Trump suggesting China could resume imports of Iranian oil—a signal, he argued, of possible sanctions relief that might allow Tehran to export up to 750,000 barrels per day. Saudi Arabia also plans to increase output by 411,000 barrels per day in response to US calls for lower global oil prices, according to Al-Marsoumi, marking a shift from price stabilization to market share competition, which could push prices down toward $60 per barrel.
