The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), as a multilateral diplomatic initiative launched under the leadership of China, has great significance in international relations. The organization plays an influential role at the regional and global levels by bringing together China’s philosophical, strategic, economic, political and security principles. At the same time, the SCO contributes to globalization by viewing international relations within the framework of a multilateral approach rather than from a unilateral perspective.
From this perspective, the Ankara Center for Crisis and Political Studies (ANKASAM) presents the views of Dr. Slobodan Popovic, faculty member of the Center for Asian and Far Eastern Studies at the University of Belgrade, to assess the place of the SCO in regional and global politics.
1- The SCO is an important example of regional cooperation and solidarity. Can you describe successful projects or initiatives that have strengthened cooperation among SCO member states?
The SCO is an important initiative by nature, as it is one of the first examples of China-initiated multilateral diplomacy. In this context, it combines China’s philosophical, strategic, economic, political and security principlesThe organization has also broken with the tradition of one-sided interpretation of reality.
By adopting development strategies and counterterrorism programs, the SCO has emphasized the importance of diplomatic relations and dialog. It has proven that this is an extremely effective tool to address current challenges and avoid potential future ones. It should be noted that the Union is not free of a military dimension. On the one hand, Member States, both collectively and individually, demonstrate their military capabilities through military exercises conducted within the regional counterterrorism structure. This is seen as one of the ways to combat the “Three Evils (terrorism, separatism, and religious extremism).”
The SCO was the first international organization to make the fight against these “three evils” one of its goals, in order to create a new international order that would be just and democratic for all states. The League’s counterterrorism efforts to combat terrorism were recognized by the United Nations (UN). As a result, an agreement was signed in 2012 that emphasizes the importance of strengthening dialog, cooperation, and coordination between UN and the SCO. This agreement provides for an intensification of cooperation between the Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy UN and the SCO Secretariat. This cooperation and the contribution of the SCO to the improvement of the international order has been recognized in many documents, such as resolution “A/71/L.11” adopted by the General Assembly UN.
2. What do you think the SCO has accomplished in economic cooperation and trade among member countries of the United Nations? How do these cooperations contribute to the economic development of member countries?
Next to security, “economy” is the second pillar of the SCO. The organization has helped to ensure economic diversification and the elaboration of specific strategies, as well as to promote the transition to sustainable development models aimed at improving infrastructural links between countries and the opening of the Central Asian countries to the seas.
The different level of economic development of the member countries is an obstacle to further economic, financial, and monetary integration in the SCO region. This has led to a delay in the establishment of the SCO Development Bank. The economic power of China and its position as the first or most important trading partner of member countries has raised concerns. Despite considerable resources in member countries, economic cooperation has not been has not yet reached its full potential. This is due to the trade structure, market regulations, weak institutional framework, and modest competitiveness of most member countries’ markets.
China has played an important role in supporting the development of member countries through various mechanisms such as the SCO Enterprise Club and the SCO Bank Consortium. This support has become particularly important for countries in the SCO region whose economic development has been affected by the global financial crisis and the Covid 19 pandemic.
3. In your opinion, what are the future goals of the SCO and what role does it play on the international stage?
The SCO was founded in Shanghai on June 15, 2001. It is an organization that aims to institutionalize the influence of developing countries in the emerging new international order. As a relatively young organization, the SCO has not only survived but also institutionalized the position of power in the global fight against terrorism, which was launched by the United States of America (USA) after the September 11 attacks.
The growing importance of the SCO in global governance, its transformation and its ability to overcome the division of the world into blocs, has been expressed by many countries and other international organizations. This has led to the expansion of the organization, with India and Pakistan becoming full members. Then, in 2023, Iran became a member. It is very important to emphasize that the SCO does not belong to China. This is because SCO members, dialog partners and observer states are either close allies of the United States or cooperate with it in implementing its Asia and Indo-Pacific strategy. Because member states are also nuclear powers, leading energy producers and consumers, and permanent members of the Security Council UN, the SCO’s international influence is likely to increase as it is able to address domestic challenges. One of these challenges is the lack of a maritime cooperation mechanism covering the Pacific, Northeast, Indian, Ocean and Caspian.
Dr. Slobodan Popovic
Dr. Slobodan Popovic is with the Center for Asian and Far Eastern Studies University of Belgrade. Dr. Popovic conducts research on China’s diplomacy, geopolitics, and geoeconomics. He also has ten years of experience in organizing academic events on these topics. He also specializes in public relations and human resources.
