Power Play in Bishkek: The SCO Summit's True Intentions The Central Asian city of Bishkek is set to host a high stakes summit, as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping converge on Kyrgyzstan with the leaders of Iran and India.
On the surface, this gathering appears to be a routine meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a regional bloc born out of Russia's and China's desire for a counterbalance to Western influence.
But scratch beneath the façade, and it becomes clear that this summit is about more than just economic cooperation or regional security – it's a display of power politics in action.