Simmering rivalries cast a shadow over Global South solidarity

For much of 2025, the global spotlight has been firmly on the start of Donald Trump’s second US presidency. Yet recent days have seen the focus shift to China with its hosting of the largest-ever Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, followed by a major military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Collectively, the SCO now accounts for almost half of the world’s population and a quarter of its GDP. This shift in attention to China has brought simmering rivalries to the forefront, potentially casting a shadow over Global South solidarity.