This is what the post-Western world looks like

The Bishkek summit has revealed how the SCO is turning demographic and economic power into a working political system The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek will be remembered less for its formal group photo than for the leaders in attendance – and the political significance of bringing them together. Seated around the same table were Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the leaders of Central Asian nations, Iran, Pakistan, and Belarus. They were joined for the expanded session by leaders of partner countries, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as representatives of international organizations, among them UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.This was no longer simply a regional gathering focused on security in Central Asia. The SCO’s ten member states now cover roughly a quarter of the world’s landmass, account for more than 42% of its population, and generate over 23% of global GDP. In other words, nearly half of humanity was represented in Bishkek. The simultaneous presence of the leaders of Russia, China, and India was especially significant: They represent the worl...