Once again, the president has shared China's understanding of international relations, which replaces the logic of "hegemony" – often dominant in Western discourse – with that of a shared future built through combined and complementary efforts. Our guest, Dr. Alexander Cooley, uncovers the current challenges and opportunities for the organization as the SCO’s membership and China’s foreign policy aspirations expand. Since 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has served as an intergovernmental body aimed at contributing to stability in Asia. Additionally, Dr. Cooley serves on multiple international advisory boards and policy committees. During its arduous, 15-year accession process, China made extensive commitments to … Its complementarity with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) exists within a framework of mutual trust and inclusiveness. ChinaPower provides an in-depth understanding of the evolving nature of Chinese power relative to other countries. The SCO focus for Russia is outward, as a security alliance that might someday counter NATO, while China views the SCO as a … China is the world's largest exporter. Beijing is . The 19th SCO meeting of the council of heads of state took place approximately three months after the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, so Xi called on participants to recognize agreements already reached. While the scope of China-Russia cooperation may seem boundless - from Afghanistan and Central Asia to South Asia and the Korean peninsula - it is evident that Chinese analysts believe certain areas deserve prioritization. George N. Tzogopoulos is a columnist with China.org.cn. This episode explores the ins and outs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) nearly two decades after its founding, as well as China’s evolving role within the organization. SCO Secretary-General meets with Ambassador of Pakistan to China 18.11.2020 17:18 The Moscow Declaration of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation 18.11.2020 17:07 SCO Secretary-General's press conference on the results of the SCO Summit China’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in December 2001 was heralded by the international community as a victory for free trade and economic liberalization. However, given the dynamic evolution of Russo-Chinese relations and overall Asian relationships in the last few years, it is currently doubtful if Russia would continue to prefer India during a crisis with China. All rights reserved. Now the SCO is an important platform for China's new one belt, one road strategy. By bringing together the leading experts on China and international politics, the series offers our listeners critical insights into the challenges and opportunities presented by China’s rise. In 2018, China shipped $302.9 billion to Hong Kong and $147.2 billion to Japan. The MEA said Vice President Venkaiah Naidu will chair the 19th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government which is held annually with a focus on trade and economic agenda of the organisation. The common fight against these necessarily became an immediate priority for the SCO, which expanded the role of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) and made several measures to enhance cooperation on defense security, information sharing and law enforcement. In 2007 China overtook Germany as the world’s third biggest economy. Dr. Alexander Cooley is Director of the Harriman Institute at Columbia University and a professor of political science at Barnard College. 1) China’s GDP was more than US$ 4.9 trillion in 2009, and per capita income exceeded US$ 3600. For Russia and China, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) — which is holding its annual summit Aug. 28-29 in Tajikistan — serves different purposes. Now if we look again at the trade, so here we can see, I mentioned before, trade … China is also the world's second largest exporter. Two countries that routinely disagree on important security matters applied for membership, and were approved. This holistic approach has laid the foundation for the present success of the SCO, and guarantees it will flourish in the future. Subsequently, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan decided to explore how closer collaboration among themselves could allow them to effectively address regional challenges. He focused on the importance of peace, multilateralism, win-win cooperation and long-term good neighborliness. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. While the American presence in Asia was clearly significant already, the SCO gave some Asian countries the opportunity to start a new Eurasian security initiative themselves. The SCO communiqués contain the tenets of Chinese foreign policy expression, which reflects its large contribution to its leadership within the SCO. The project examines five interrelated categories of Chinese power: military, economics, technology, social, and international image. SCO and China: A new Asian regional order. It also raises the question of intelligence sharing within the SCO’s anti-terrorist structures, as these could lead to India sharing data with Pakistan and China. China is exercising a careful and ambitious policy in accordance to UN resolutions, in order to contribute to the renewal of the peace process and the integration of Afghanistan into the tide of regional development, including SCO initiatives. In 2019, China shipped $451.7 billion worth of goods to the United States. The original five members, with the exclusion of Uzbekistan, were previou… The SCO has been pulled in multiple directions since its inception, due in part to the competing visions for the organization's function from its two heavyweights, Russia and China. Beijing’s actions within the SCO framework should be considered as part of an overall long-term strategy supporting its economic security. interested in boosting trade and inv estment with all countries of t he Eurasian Union on the . August 14, 2018. He has written extensively on Eurasian and Central Asian politics, including opinion pieces for The New York Times and Foreign Affairs. And with its contribution rising to 12 percent of the UN regular budget, passing Japan at 8.5 percent, China is currently the second-largest monetary contributor to the UN. In May 2018, China signed an agreement on trade and economic cooperation with the EAEU. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/GeorgeNTzogopoulos.htm. 2. Hosted by Bonnie S. Glaser, the ChinaPower Podcast dissects critical issues underpinning China’s emergence as a global power. Observer states and dialogue partners might share similar opportunities in the medium- and long-term. Whereas the BRI and the EAEU are regarded as contradictory projects in the West, China and Russia are demonstrating the opposite. © 2021 by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. In 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke about the need to eradicate three evil forces: extremism, separatism and terrorism. India intends to increase natural gas in its energy mix from the current 6% to 15% by 2030. (SCO) offers a privileged vantage point from which to examine the complex relations between Russia and China.6 The August 2008 SCO summit in Dushanbe was demonstrative of this point: member states expressed only muted support for the Kremlin after the Russian military intervention in Georgia. Sign up for the monthly ChinaPower Newsletter, which highlights our new and updated content, featured events, and publications. China is not an outsider, but one of the SCO’s founding countries. The SCO focuses on security- related issues of the region specially on counter terrorism cooperation. The more the SCO grows, the more its member states are able to take the fate of security in the region into their own hands – a region that, with India and Pakistan, covers over 60% of the Eurasian geographical area. 4. Yet the SCO is not only about hard security. China preferred Pakistan but could only get its way as part of a package deal whereby both states entered the SCO, thereby also mollifying Russia, India’s principal supporter. They apparently thought dialogue and joint diplomacy within the SCO could better serve their interests than indifference or distant criticism. His strong position as head of the main political bank of China, whose assets reached 8.2 trillion yuan (over $1.3 trillion), was largely secured by the fact that his father, Chen Yun (1905-1995), was one of the key Chinese leaders in the 1980s, actually the second most influential person in the Communist Party and the state after Deng Xiaoping. Dr. Cooley analyzes potential future areas of contention and cooperation between China and other SCO member states. Unlike many other economies, China’s membership was not grandfathered in, as was the case with “original members” that joi… 11. China's leadership role in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is important as China's gross domestic product surpasses the combined total … “It’s almost like you can’t be an independent influencer anymore,” says Hallanan. India and Pakistan's decision to join the SCO in 2017 was perhaps the best proof. But in truth, except for Russia and Kazakhstan, there's really not that much trade, but it has been picking up. The SCO should by no means make any hasty moves to reserve some special niche for itself. See e.g. Although the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is currently the most successful integration mechanism, its future success in Asia also depends on alignment with regional platforms. Photo taken on May 3, 2018 shows the night view of Fushan Bay in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. It should remain what it is—a well-established, self-sufficient, and authoritative association of countries, and to follow its own plans and intentions. China has also been active in providing humanitarian assistance by training Afghan officers and granting scholarships. In the years that followed, the initial, humble idea turned into a successful scheme with the potential to help shape a new Asian regional order without external patronage. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is an international alliance that consists of 8 member states and 3 observers from Eurasia.It was established on 26 April 1996 as Shanghai Five.Of the 8 member states and 3 observers, SCO currently also have 3 … Through objective analysis and data visualization, ChinaPower unpacks the complexity of China’s rise. NEW DELHI, May 27 (Xinhua) -- China's leadership role in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is important as China's gross domestic product surpasses the combined total of all the other members, offering immense opportunities for member states to benefit at bilateral and multilateral levels, an Indian expert has said. "We are with you China! Qin Yaqing, International As a major market for LNG from Russia, India should seek the Presidency of the SCO Energy Club annual meeting in 2020-2021 – a year before India’s G20 Presidency in 2022. If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn. China is still keeping a low profile in world politics. See Economist, January 14, 2009. The 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit is … The summit will take place in the virtual format. This episode explores the ins and outs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization ( The Shanghai Spirit is consistent with the China-proposed "new type of international relations" and Beijing's vision of "building a community of shared future for mankind." The recent Bishkek SCO meeting of the council of heads of state reaffirmed member-states' commitment to ensuring the enactment of a protocol on security guarantees to the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone Treaty. Since 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has served as an intergovernmental body aimed at contributing to stability in Asia. The Chinese view that security and prosperity should be interwoven is applicable here. The expansion of the SCO’s membership to include India and Pakistan in 2017 can be seen as an evidence of such a commitment. In these times when strength is tested, all of us – either remaining in China or based abroad – want to remind you that you are not alone," the SCOLAR Network, a Beijing-based association representing the SCO youths, said in a written statement sent to CGTN Digital. 2) Much has been written about China’s New Diplomacy. In another view, Bishkek discussions focused on Afghanistan, with Xi speaking about the need for the SCO to play a constructive role in promoting peace, reconciliation, stability and development there. The recent 19th SCO meeting of heads of state in Bishkek has reaffirmed the goal of China and other member states to build a stronger Asian regional order through security and economic collaboration. A number of security goals are shared by the eight SCO member states, as well as observer states and dialogue partners. Moscow wants the SCO to become a political and security alliance that could eventually rival NATO in terms of organization, clout and capability — or at least to appear comparable to NATO. Now, after Bishkek, more coordinated actions can be expected. Prior to joining the WTO, China had long been a member of other major international organizations, including the United Nations since 1971 and the World Bank and International Monetary Fund since 1980.2 Nonetheless, joining the WTO proved a prolonged and challenging process for Beijing. China, which is one of the founders of the organisation, plays an influential role in it. Since the U.S. exports to China were only $106.5 billion, there's a $345 billion U.S. trade deficit with China. So cooperation within the SCO can demonstrate how China's diplomatic visions work in practice, especially after the admission of India and Pakistan as full members last year. | Privacy Policy, China’s Interests and Role in the SCO: A Conversation with Alexander Cooley. SCO means China, while the Eurasian Union is n othing more than Russia (Xin 2013). One year after his landmark speech in Qingdao, where he elaborated on how the "Shanghai Spirit" could be carried forward, Xi gave another critical speech in Bishkek. The SCO promotes economic collaboration and globalization, as well as supports cultural exchanges and facilitates infrastructure works via its business council together with the interbank consortium. The same is the case in China. But its continuous development, in parallel with the general trend towards multi-polarization, entails new responsibilities that it will not abandon. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), or Shanghai Pact, is a Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance, the creation of which was announced on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Charter, formally establishing the organisation, was signed in June 2002 and entered into force on 19 September 2003.