• Vladimir Putin has arrived in Tianjin, China for the SCO summit with around 20 world leaders.
• The summit aims to enhance the SCO's ability to address global challenges and promote a multipolar world order.
• Putin will have bilateral discussions with leaders including Xi Jinping, Erdogan, and Modi during his visit.
• The event coincides with preparations for a military parade in Beijing commemorating World War II.
• The SCO is seen by China and Russia as an alternative to western-led alliances like NATO.

Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in Tianjin, China, on Sunday to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, which will see attendance from about 20 other world leaders. This gathering is viewed as significant, particularly as it occurs shortly before a military parade in Beijing to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, according to Channel News Asia and Anadolu Agency.

As one of the founding members of the SCO, Russia has maintained robust ties within the organization. In his remarks upon arrival, Putin emphasized the summit's potential to "strengthen the SCO's capacity to respond to contemporary challenges and threats, and consolidate solidarity across the shared Eurasian space," a sentiment reported by India Times and Channel News Asia.

Putin is expected to hold bilateral meetings with other key leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to discuss issues related to the Ukraine conflict and regional cooperation, as noted by Anadolu Agency and India Times.

Putin expressed hopes that the summit will help to "shape a fairer multipolar world order," indicating a strategic intent to enhance collaboration among member countries. This perspective underscores a broader initiative to position the SCO as a viable alternative to NATO and a platform for addressing common international challenges, according to Channel News Asia and India Times.