SCO will counter West’s brazen pressure with more interactions in strategy

Tuesday marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization ( SCO). As the largest, most populous and most extensive regional organization in Eurasia, the organization has achieved remarkable results with practical cooperation. Due to the participation of major countries such as China, Russia and India, the SCO has gained increasing attention for its possible role in global and regional governance. From the very beginning, the organization has been aiming at strengthening mutual trust in military and security among its member states, maintaining long- term stability in the region. It also seeks to become a pillar of the world's multi- polarization as well as an important power to oppose Western hegemony.

Due to the differences between member states’ foreign policies and the surrounding environment, the SCO’s cooperation goals and tasks are still mainly based on promoting cooperation and economic development among regional countries.

Therefore, SCO’s cooperation framework is very broad. However, the process of multilateral cooperation in various fields is not balanced. When dealing with international affairs, on the one hand, the SCO expresses common stances.

On the other hand, there are also obvious differences. Some member states are cautious on the issue of geopolitical confrontation with the West.

The SCO is an extension of strategic cooperation between China and Russia at the regional level. In 2019, the two countries upgraded their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era. At the same time, they have made a clear political declaration about maintaining global strategic stability.

After US President Joe Biden took office, the new administration has continued the policies of the former Donald Trump administration toward Beijing and Moscow. As a result, Beijing and Moscow face significant security challenges.

Under this circumstance, the political declaration of maintaining global strategic stability needs to be transformed into common actions that are sufficient enough to address real threats. Even though the SCO adheres to the principle of non- confrontation, it still holds a firm attitude in terms of maintaining global security, as well as opposing Cold War- like behaviors and bullying.

The SCO has chosen the non- Western path of development and strengthened the interactions among its members at the strategic level. Externally, this is because of the containment from the West. There are also internal driving forces, as the cooperation within the organization upgrades. The SCO does not pursue zero- sum games. Nor will it become a military- political alliance. It will continue to oppose military interventions in other countries’ internal affairs, and counter the brazen pressure from the West with joint development.