| Eleven years ago, it was the shared aspiration of China, Russia and central Asian nations to enhance common security and economic cooperation that led to the birth of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). As the leaders of SCO member countries gather in Beijing this week to chart the multinational body’s course of development over the next decade, the organization has already done a great deal to fulfill its duties. It has provided this tumultuous world with a new way to promote regional peace, stability and prosperity among nations that have stark differences in race, religion and cultural heritage. Since the organization’s birth, SCO member states have been persistent in seeking out security and safety by building up mutual trust and carrying out disarmament in border areas. They have also collaborated to prevent terrorist attacks and crush transnational crime and drug trafficking. Thorny border disputes between member countries, which used to threaten peace and security in the region, have been met with reasonable settlements that rest on equitable negotiations. SCO members have also seen their trade grow at a rapid pace over the past ten years, a rare accomplishment in the wake of a sluggish global economic recovery. Extensive oil and natural gas reserves in the region have prompted robust energy cooperation among SCO members and observer states, and played a significant role in guaranteeing energy security and fueling more dynamic economic development for not only the region, but also the entire world. Additionally, SCO members have worked to coordinate their stances on regional and global issues, especially the social upheaval that began to rock western Asia and northern Africa early last year. They have collectively called on others to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of other countries. However, some media organizations and observers have described the SCO as “the new Warsaw pact,” a counterbalance to NATO and the United States. Some even say that Russia and China seek to obtain regional domination by manipulating the will of the rest of the organization’s members. These groundless conclusions are nothing but a product of an obsolete Cold War mentality, as well as the habitual neglect of facts. Despite being the largest SCO members, China and Russia have never attempted to “bully” other SCO states. What’s more, according to its founding principles, the SCO does not intend to aim at any third party and would always stay inclusive. From its start, members of the SCO have chosen to come together and engage with each other through equitable cooperation, rather than replaying the dramas of old through confrontation and domination. The SCO’s accomplishments and its spirit of emphasizing mutual trust, equality and negotiation have offered an enlightening alternative for all nations that wish to live in peace and harmony.... |
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