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Express Tribune
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Upholding Shanghai Spirit — SCO on the move
Listen to article The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has consistently adhered to the "Shanghai Spirit" which emphasises "mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilisations and pursuit of common development". It has continuously strengthened political mutual trust among member states and vigorously promoted cooperation in security, economy, culture, and other fields. The SCO has become an indispensable force in promoting world peace and development, as well as upholding international fairness and justice. Currently, the international situation is in turmoil, with changes unseen in a century rapidly unfolding. Humanity faces increasing instability and uncertainty. Against this backdrop, China is willing to work with countries in the region to continue promoting the "Shanghai Spirit" and transform the SCO into a strategic pillar for fostering regional peace, stability, and shared prosperity. The "Shanghai Spirit" has stood the test of time and carries profound contemporary significance. It aligns closely with the purposes of the United Nations Charter; is consistent with the "Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence"; and resonates deeply with the development aspirations of the "Global South". "Mutual trust" forms the cornerstone of stable relations among SCO member states; "mutual benefit" ensures shared gains in economic cooperation; "equality" is reflected in every aspect of the organisation's decision-making processes; "consultation" represents the effective approach the SCO has consistently practised in resolving international disputes; "respect for diversity of civilisations" fosters mutual tolerance and appreciation among member states; and "pursuit of common development" charts the forward path for SCO members. Over the years, the "Shanghai Spirit" has provided theoretical support for the SCO's growth, serving as a shared emotional bond and cooperative principle among its members. It embodies the collective voice and powerful call of member states in the new era, as they strive for good-neighborly relations and peaceful development. The "Shanghai Spirit" is pragmatic and progressive, aligning with the practical needs of regional and global governance. The SCO has always remained true to its founding mission. In recent years, the outcome documents adopted by member states at the SCO Summit and the Council of Heads of Government have focused on practical cooperation, actively strengthening collaboration in financing, energy, green industries, the digital economy, and other fields. These efforts have provided effective support for the economic and social prosperity of member states, allowing their citizens to enjoy a greater sense of gain. The SCO is resolute in combating drug trafficking, transnational organised crime, and safeguarding international information security, while significantly enhancing cooperation in various non-traditional security areas. Additionally, the SCO places great emphasis on promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges among member states, continuously innovating and organising forums such as the SCO forum "Year of Tourism 2023" and the SCO forum "Year of Ecology 2024". These initiatives have successfully created new platforms for cultural cooperation, laying a solid foundation of public support for lasting friendship and goodwill in the region. The "Shanghai Spirit" is inclusive and open-minded, embodying the essence of promoting peace and prosperity. It transcends notions such as the clash of civilisations, Cold War mentality, and zero-sum game, and has been gaining increasingly widespread recognition from the international community. Guided by the "Shanghai Spirit", the SCO has united countries with diverse cultural backgrounds and at different stages of development. Member states respect one another, foster mutual trust and mutual benefit, and promote harmonious yet diverse and inclusive civilisational exchanges. Committed to common development, the SCO has established a constructive partnership that is non-aligned and not targeted against any other countries or regions, pioneering a new model of regional cooperation and making significant contributions to regional peace and development. In 2024, the ''Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Plus'' Meeting in Astana approved the SCO initiative on solidarity among nations to promote global justice, harmony, and development, offering the "SCO Solution" for advancing the construction of a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind. The "China Year" of the SCO will be a year of building on past achievements and forging ahead into the future. As a founding member of the SCO, China has always regarded the organisation as a key direction in its foreign policy. In July last year, President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the "Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Plus" Meeting in Astana, proposing the creation of common home of solidarity and mutual trust, peace and tranquility, prosperity and development, good-neighborliness and friendship, fairness and justice that offered clear guidance for shaping the new blueprint for the development of the SCO. As the chairing country of the SCO from 2024 to 2025, China will implement the slogan "Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move", hosting a SCO summit featuring friendship, solidarity and fruitful outcomes, as well as more than 40 institutionalised meetings. Besides, China will hold major events, including the SCO Political Parties Forum, Forum on Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development, Forum on People-to-People Friendship and the Forum on Friendship Cities, and SCO International Investment and Trade Expo, as well as flagship events including the SCO Film Festival, Television Festival, Art Festival, Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, Chinese Calligraphy Competition, Sculpture Tournament and SCO Summer Event. Discussions will focus on key areas such as poverty reduction, food security, public health, development financing, climate change and green development, industrialisation, digital economy, and connectivity. Cooperation among member states will deepen in political, security, economic and cultural fields, working together to build an even closer SCO community with a shared future, contributing "SCO wisdom" for international and regional sustainable development, and offering "SCO strength" to address global challenges. The "Shanghai Spirit" will inject new momentum into China-Pakistan cooperation. In October last year, Pakistan successfully hosted the 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the SCO in Islamabad, making significant contributions to the practice of the "Shanghai Spirit". China and Pakistan share a solid foundation for cooperation and vast prospects for future collaboration. As CPEC enters a new phase of high-quality development, the two countries will continue to strengthen communication and coordination within the SCO framework. China and Pakistan will deepen strategic alignment, expand practical cooperation, address risks and challenges, and enhance people-to-people exchanges. We will strive to turn the vision of common home of solidarity and mutual trust, peace and tranquility, prosperity and development, good-neighborliness and friendship, fairness and justice into a tangible reality together, accelerate the building of a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, and bring more benefit to both nations and the two peoples.
Express Tribune
29-01-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
SCO: gateway to development and prosperity
Pakistan, as Chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) hosted 23 rd Council of Heads of Government (CHG) Summit in Islamabad on 15-16 October 2024. The Summit was attended by all the 10 member states including 8 Prime Ministers with India and Iran represented by their senior cabinet ministers which reflects Pakistan's significance amongst the SCO countries. The Summit was the exhibition of objectivity and professional conduct by Pakistan on two accounts. One, unlike the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting held in India in 2023, Pakistan ensured that bilateral issues with India did not overshadow the event. Second, Pakistan remained cognizant and reflected the tenets of Shanghai Spirit throughout the proceedings of the Summit - from conducting meetings and social gatherings to the issuance of joint communique. China and Russia participated with large contingents to pursue cooperation in multiple domains that also highlights Pakistan's geopolitical and geo-economic significance. The SCO is a potent organisation due to a number of unique characteristics: (i) it consists of two global powers China and Russia - the pillars of emerging multipolarity; (ii) the organisation, even ahead of NATO, includes four declared nuclear weapon states (China, Russia, Pakistan and India); (iii) it represents almost 45 percent of world's population and combined GDP based on purchasing power parity (PPP) which is approximately 27 percent of the world's total GDP amounting to USD 24.6 trillion in 2023, roughly USD 6 trillion more than that of the European Union; (iv) it enjoys pivotal position in the global energy landscape as it contains approximately 25 percent of world's oil reserves, over 50 percent of the gas reserves, about 35 percent of the coal reserves and 50 percent of the known uranium reserves; and (v) the SCO member states lead the world in industrial manufacturing, AI, emerging technologies, cyber and space domains. In clean energy domain, presently 441 nuclear power reactors generate approximately 10 percent of global electricity out of which 123 (28%) nuclear power reactors account for five SCO countries (China, Russia, India, Pakistan and Belarus) emitting zero carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases during operation. This clean energy program is in line with the strategy for the development of energy cooperation until 2030 that was approved during the 24 th annual Summit of SCO Heads of State at Astana in July 2024. Agriculture was another domain for which cooperation mechanism was established that included stabilizing agriculture markets, ensuring grains security, establishing smart agriculture farms, sharing modern agro-industrial technologies and utilising SCO agricultural trade network to promote food security amongst the member states. Pakistan enjoys longstanding association with SCO Member States in historical, cultural, civilizational and geographical domains. Ever since joining as the member, Pakistan has played active role in promoting regional peace, stability and socio-economic development with special focus in countering terrorism and extremism, transnational crimes, and cooperation in socio-cultural, economic and humanitarian spheres. Pakistan is the Chair of Special Working Group (SWG) on poverty alleviation of SCO that was proposed by Pakistan at the meeting of the Council of Heads of States (CHS) in Bishkek in 2019. Under the framework of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), Pakistan hosted first ever Joint Anti-Terrorism Exercise (JATE) at its National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in 2021, with physical participation of counter terrorism forces from two SCO member States - Pakistan and China. Pakistan also hosted 'Conference on Transport Connectivity for Regional Prosperity' on 22 November 2023 and the expert-level meeting of the SWG on poverty alleviation titled 'Leveraging Digital Technologies to Enhance Social Safety Nets in SCO Member States' on 06 December 2023, besides holding meeting for the Ministers of Commerce and Trade on 12 September 2024. Critical review of the joint communique of CHG Summit reveals clarity of vision and resolve by the SCO leadership to pursue perceived objectives. The communique takes stock of all the decisions taken during the previous Summits and meetings and underscores the commitment of the heads of delegations to follow-up and implement decisions taken during the Council of Heads of State in Astana on 4 July 2024. The member states expressed their resolve to 'oppose protectionist actions, unilateral sanctions and trade restrictions that undermine the multilateral trading system and impede global sustainable development'. The heads of delegations emphasised that the 'unilateral application of sanctions is incompatible with the principles of international law and has a negative impact on third countries and international economic relations'. In an important development, all the SCO member states barring India, reaffirmed support for China's One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative and agreed to bridge the Eurasian Economic Union and OBOR. All the delegates reaffirmed commitment to the peaceful settlement of differences and disputes through dialogue and consultations and advocated respect for the 'right of peoples to independently and democratically choose their political, social and economic development.' The delegates, while emphasising on capitalising the SCO Development Strategy-2035, advocated the promotion of cooperation within the framework of the SCO to pursue sustainable economic growth by optimising the potential in areas such as digital economy, trade, e-commerce, finance and banking, investment, high technology, start-ups and innovation, poverty alleviation, healthcare, agriculture, industry, transport, logistics, connectivity, energy, communications, science and technology, environment and climate change. Achieving inclusive economic development through connectivity, promoting cooperation instead of competition and commitment to settle differences through dialogue were the hallmarks of CHG Summit-2024. Pakistan being at a crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East and China, can become an ideal trade conduit to transform SCO's vision of Eurasian connectivity into reality. The Summit also provided Pakistan with an opportunity to project soft power through hospitality and paved the way to pursue membership of BRICS.
