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Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a Eurasian political, economic, international security and defence organisation formed in 2001 by China and Russia as a successor to the Shanghai Five, which was formed in 1996 between the People's Republic of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. As well as China and Russia, current members also include Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The organisation also has several dialgoue partners, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Cambodia. The SCO is headquartered in Beijing, and its supreme decision-making body, the Heads of State Council (HSC), meets once a year.
last updated:
28 August, 2024
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev shake hands after signing a joint statement following bilateral talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, on July 3. Photo: Xinhua
Belt and Road Initiative

Opinion | Why China’s outreach to Central Asia will only grow

Amid increasing investments and a greater emphasis on security, China’s presence in Central Asia differs from its outreach to other regions.

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Belt and Road Initiative

Xinjiang eyes closer ties with Pakistan and Central Asia to offset US sanctions

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Middle East

Opinion | Why Gulf countries don’t want to choose between China and the US

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Climate change

Opinion | Cop29 is Azerbaijan’s moment to step into the global sunshine

The UN climate conference will shine a spotlight on the major oil producer’s energy transition, peace efforts with Armenia and geocritical location.

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People walk near the Baku Olympic Stadium, the venue of the Cop29 UN climate change conference, in Baku, Azerbaijan, on October 18. Photo: Reuters
Brics

China, Russia at Brics vow stronger cooperation for ‘fair world order’

Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin meet for third time in person this year as bloc of emerging economies seeks to counter Western-led world order.

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Belt and Road Initiative

China’s Li Qiang vows ‘upgraded’ economic corridor on first visit to Pakistan

Chinese premier opens trip with joint opening of Beijing-funded New Gwadar International Airport ahead of two days of SCO meetings.

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Belt and Road Initiative

China pledges to combat terrorism after Pakistan attack kills Chinese nationals

Ministry of State Security says Chinese bodies will ‘guard against the infiltration of extremist violent ideologies’.

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Security officials inspect the scene of a blast near Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan. China’s Ministry of State Security says combating terrorism is a “shared responsibility of the international community”. Photo: EPA-EFE
Diplomacy

Opinion | How Azerbaijan’s strategic reach for Brics will benefit China too

Baku’s strategic position and aspiration to diversify its economy aligns with Beijing’s vision for Eurasian connectivity.

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Belarus

Opinion | Why Belarus sees China, not West, as answer to balancing Russia ties

Alexander Lukashenko believes he can maintain strong relations with both China and Russia without having to reduce cooperation with either.

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Diplomacy

Opinion | As Western-led order crumbles, can China and India fulfil their destinies?

In spite of their border dispute, India and China have been steering a course for continued dialogue and cooperation.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Diplomacy

Opinion | Western concerns about SCO must be allayed. Kazakhstan can help

Kazakhstan and its role in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation contribute to efforts to find common ground, promoting cooperation that fosters global stability.

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Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (right) attends a meeting with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, on July 3. Photo: Handout
China-India relations

Stable or abnormal? China and India stand apart on disputed border

Sino-Indian relations ‘cannot be normal if peace and tranquillity in the border areas is disturbed’, says New Delhi’s top diplomat at regional conference.

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US-China relations

China’s diplomatic flurry sets its course in a new world

Observers say Beijing seeks to reassert itself as key force in an increasingly multipolar world and build ties with developing countries as tensions with US simmer.

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China-India relations

US sharing of intelligence with India in China border clash seen as pivotal

Real-time information, including satellite imagery, about Chinese positions was provided and ‘enraged’ Beijing, according to report.

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An Indian soldier stands guard at a checkpoint along the disputed Sino-India border. Photo: EPA-EFE
US-China relations

China’s longest US ambassador vacancy provides latest sign of bleak relations

Speculation that Beijing is ‘having a full-scale review’ and may be ‘questioning whether it’s worth it to invest in the diplomatic relationship’.

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Xie Feng is widely expected to become China’s next ambassador to Washington. Photo: AFP via Getty Images/TNS
Diplomacy

Opinion | Power imbalance in China-Iran relations evident during Raisi’s visit

Sanctioned and isolated, Tehran has less to offer Beijing than Moscow, which can at least boast a powerful military and global presence. Within Iran there is also wariness of Chinese investment, and not even shared concerns about Afghanistan have helped to spur cooperation.

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Ukraine war: 1 year on

China’s stance on Ukraine conflict is based on its own interests, analysts say

Despite increased Western distrust of China’s relationship with Russia as the Ukraine war drags on, analysts expect Beijing to maintain close ties with Moscow while seeking to balance relations with the West.

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Ukraine war

Putin invites Xi to visit Russia to show strength of ties with China

The two presidents exchanged messages hailing the strength of their partnership in a year-end video call.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping waves at the camera during Friday’s video call with Vladimir Putin. Photo: Xinhua
US-China relations

Parsing the normally bellicose China’s meek response to US chip restrictions

Beijing typically ‘retaliates fully plus 10 per cent’, but this time it doesn’t seem to have many punitive options.

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China-India relations

China-India tensions simmer after missile test, troop brawl

China hopes to lower the temperature, but will remain cautious after India’s recent military activities.

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China-India relations

China’s ambassador to India made foreign vice-minister

Sun’s time in New Delhi coincided with a worsening of relations following a deadly clash along the two countries’ disputed border in the Himalayas.

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Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong. Photo: Handout
India

Is US running out of patience with India’s ‘own interest’ mantra over Russia?

India needs to balance ties with Russia, an analyst said, or else Moscow could move closer to Beijing, forcing New Delhi to become more dependent on Washington.

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) and Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Photo: EPA-EFE
Ukraine war

India praises ‘strong and steady’ relationship with Russia as ministers meet

Foreign ministers Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Sergey Lavrov discuss continued sales of oil and the possibility of joint arms production.

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China’s 20th Party Congress

Asian Angle | What Xi Jinping’s third term means for belt and road, China-Asean ties

Belt and road investments suffered contractions due to disruptions brought on by the pandemic, but funding for projects in Southeast Asia rose in 2020.

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China-EU relations

China competition swamps all other EU relations with Beijing, top diplomat says

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell makes comments after ministers discuss a paper urging EU to stand up to Beijing’s efforts to ‘systematically promote an alternative world order’.

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Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, speaking to reporters in Luxembourg on Monday. Photo: EU Council/dpa
Diplomacy

Opinion | SCO’s growing credibility reflects emerging multipolar world order

The SCO’s expansion and cooperation efforts are cementing its standing as a credible multilateral platform focused on maintaining security, stability and development in Eurasia. The Samarkand summit should also be seen as a step towards the development of a more inclusive and diverse global governance model.

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From the left, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif pose for a group photo before the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit on September 16 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Photo: Kremlin/dpa
United States

US imposes ‘severe’ sanctions on Russia for Putin’s ‘fraudulent’ annexation

‘Russia is violating international law, trampling on the United Nations Charter, and showing its contempt for peaceful nations everywhere,’ US President Joe Biden says.

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China-Russia relations

Opinion | SCO leaders grasp at unravelling ties at Samarkand summit

As Xi, Putin and other Eurasian leaders gathered for a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, promises of stronger economic ties and a shared global agenda could not conceal political differences, especially over the war in Ukraine.

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