A Chinese expert has highlighted how mutual respect, consensus and adaptation to challenges allow the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to consolidate strength and expand its purview as necessary.
Leaders from Asia, Europe and Africa will gather in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 for the largest-ever SCO summit in history.
Established in 2001, the organization now has 10 member states, alongside two observer states and 14 dialogue partners.
Dedicated to maintaining regional security and promoting common development, the SCO adheres to the Shanghai Spirit, which features mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development.
This spirit has guided the bloc to chart a path of regional cooperation, transcending differences in ideology, social system and development path, and setting an example for a new type of international relations.
In a round table held by China Global Television Network (CGTN), Victor Gao, vice president of Center for China and Globalization, explained how these core principles have shaped the international organization's actions since its formation.
"One is mutual respect: all members of the SCO respect each other, treating each other as an equal. The second thing is consensus, meaning all the major decisions will not be made unless it has consensus support, meaning if there is any one single member state dissenting or disagreeing, etc., then there will be no collective decision. Now, sometimes, people say this slows down the efficiency, etc., which has a point. But I think the greater value is to build up consensus among all the member states before any major decision will be taken," said Gao.
"The other thing is always changing and adapting to the new challenges. The SCO started with a focus on anti-terrorism. Now, it has expanded significantly from this route. And I think going forward, its functions and focus area will further expand, including, for example, focusing on energy security for all the members and also whether they can come up with a more coordinated strategy for the AI revolution for all members," he said.
Expert highlights key ideas behind SCO’s Shanghai Spirit
