The structural transformation of the international system directly impacts the strategies of core powers in expanding their spheres of influence, as well as the institutional instruments driving these strategies. On the threshold of the 21st century, as traditional Western-centric institutions grapple with crises, international organizations have transcended their identity as mere platforms for cooperation, transforming into the primary arenas of global hegemonic competition and norm-building. In the new geopolitical equation taking shape across the Asia-Pacific and Eurasian axis, states’ policies regarding energy security, supply chain security, and the asymmetries of interdependence play a determinant role. Positioned at the center of the global power shift, the People’s Republic of China has emerged as the principal actor in this process by constructing alternative frameworks to the existing international institutional architecture, or by realigning current structures in accordance with its strategic developmental vision. China’s practice of multilateral diplomacy exhibits an organic coherence with its objectives of ensuring the security of energy supply lines, breaking through geopolitical encirclement, and establishing a sustained sphere of influence across the Eurasian mainland.[1]
The historical roots of China’s institutional foreign policy cannot be divorced from the pro-independence and anti-imperialist reflexes of the Mao Zedong era; however, its contemporary global vision has progressed beyond Deng Xiaoping’s maxim to “hide your strength and bide your time,” evolving into a phase of “major power diplomacy” during the Xi Jinping era. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the most tangible organizational manifestation of this transformation, was initially formulated on the basis of border security and military confidence-building measures, yet over time, it has evolved into Eurasia’s most comprehensive political, economic, and security bloc. Established in 1996 under the moniker of the “Shanghai Five” with the participation of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, the framework was driven by the vision of filling the power vacuum that emerged in Central Asia following the collapse of the Soviet Union and resolving border disputes through peaceful means. Becoming institutionalized and adopting its current name following Uzbekistan’s accession as a full member in 2001, the SCO served as the initial strategic laboratory where the Beijing administration tested a novel security concept transcending Cold War mentality and bloc politics. Through this organization, China posited an alternative vision for regional integration—centered on the principles of non-interference in internal affairs, respect for sovereignty, and mutual benefit—in stark contrast to Western-centric models predicated on traditional alliance systems and prioritizing military coercion.[2]
