AfteraddingIndiaandPakistanasfullmembersin2017,theShanghaiCooperationOrganization(SCO)hasbeenwidelyexpandedintermsofarea,populationandresources,becomingagloballyinfluentialorganization.Ontheflipside,SCOmemberstatesnowhavestarkerdifferencesinnationalconditions,historyandculture.
Consequently,themajorchallengefacingallmemberstatesisintegratingthenewmembersintotheSCOtojointlysetoffonahistoricmission.
TheQingdaosummitupgradedandenhancedtheShanghaiSpiritatacriticaljuncturefollowingtheexpansionoftheSCOandpointedthedirectionforfuturedevelopmentoftheSCO,makingitamajormilestoneintheorganization鈥檚developmentprocess.
Inhisspeechatthissummit,ChinesePresidentXiJinpingfirstinjectedtheShanghaiSpiritwithfivekindsofconcepts鈥攄evelopmentconcepts(innovative,coordinated,green,openandinclusivedevelopment),securityconcepts(common,comprehensive,cooperativeandsustainablesecurity),cooperationconcepts(openandinclusivecooperationforwin-winoutcomes),cultureconcepts(equality,mutuallearning,dialogueandinclusivenessbetweencivilizations)andglobalgovernanceconceptsfeaturingextensiveconsultation,jointcontribution,andsharedbenefits,whichhasgreatlyenrichedtheconnotationsoftheShanghaiSpiritandestablishedclearerstandardsforSCOmemberstatestoconductcooperationinpolitical,security,economicandculturalfields.
Thesenewideas,assymbolsofChineseculturalessence,arealreadywidelyrecognizedbymembersoftheSCO,evidencingthatChinaandtheotherSCOmembercountrieshavereachedhigherconsensusonvaluesandconcepts.
PromotionoftheShanghaiSpiritwillenhancethecohesion,actionandinfluenceoftheSCO.Asdevelopingcountries,SCOmembersareencounteringsimilarchallenges,andgreatpotentialanddemandforthemtoworktogethercontinueexpanding.However,notallthememberstateshavedeepmutualtrust.UnityandtrustbasedontheShanghaiSpirithavebecomeevenmoreimportantbecauseitwilldeterminethefuturedevelopmentoftheSCO,especiallyafterIndiaandPakistanjoinedin.TheTreatyofLong-TermGoodNeighborliness,FriendshipandCooperationbetweentheMemberStatesoftheSCOreachedundertheguidelinesoftheShanghaiSpiritandthejointdeclarationissuedattheSCOQingdaosummitwillundoubtedlyplayanactiveandimportantroleinSCOmembersovercomingtheirdifferencesandboostingmutualtrust.
UpholdingtheShanghaiSpirit,PresidentXibroughtupspecificproposalsforcooperationinsecurity,economy,cultureandinternationalissuesundertheSCOframework,addressingconcernsofallSCOmembers.Securitycooperationfocusesondefense,lawenforcement,informationsecurityandfosteringpeaceinAfghanistan.TheseproposalsaimtoaddressnewchallengesfacedbyallSCOmemberstates.
ForeconomiccooperationbetweenSCOmembers,PresidentXiemphasizedthedockingofdevelopmentstrategies,tradefacilitationandtradebalancing.HealsosuggestedmanymeasuresdemonstratingthatChinaisnotpursuingmaximizationofitsowninterests,butratherseekstobreakbottleneckshinderingeconomicandtradecooperationundertheframeworkoftheSCOthroughfriendship,justiceandpursuingsharedinterests.TheSCOdiffersfromotherregionalcooperationorganizationsthankstoitscoordinationofdevelopmentstrategies,whichreflectsmutualrespectforstatesovereigntyandnationalinterestsofitsmemberstates.Chinaproposedtoestablisha30billionyuan(US$4.7billion)equivalentspeciallendingfacilityundertheframeworkoftheSCOInterbankConsortium.ThisisasignofChina鈥檚willingnesstocooperate.ItalsoevidencesthecommonwillofSCOmemberstoescapethehegemonyoftheU.S.dollarandbuildamorefairandreasonablenewregionaleconomicorder.The10thInternationalIT-ForumwithBRICSandSCOParticipationopenedinKhanty-Mansiysk,RussiaonJune5,2018.VCGCulturalexchangewilllayasolidfoundationforthestrengtheningofmutualtrustandwin-wincooperationamongSCOmemberstates.Theorganizationhasdevelopedamaturingmechanismforpeople-to-peopleexchange,whichcoversvariousfields.Inthefuture,theSCOneedstoutilizeexistingmechanismsforculturalexchangeandexpandtheirscales.Tomeettheneedsofothermembercountries,Chinawillformulatetargetedproposalsforculturalexchange.Forexample,Chinawillprovide3,000trainingopportunitiesinhumanresourcedevelopmentforSCOmemberstatestorelievetheirshortageofqualifiedprofessionalsinthefield.PropelledbyChina,othermemberstateswillalsotakeconcretemeasurestohelpexpandscope,deepencooperativelevelsandenlargethescalesofculturalexchangewithinthegroup.
Despiteoperatingasaregionalorganization,theSCOisdefinitelynotclosed.Inhisspeech,Xiproposedsettingupinternationalcooperationpartnershipnetworks,signifyingthattheorganizationiswillingtocooperatewithothercountriesandinternationalorganizationsworldwidetobuildan鈥渙pen,inclusive,clean,andbeautifulworldthatenjoyslastingpeace,universalsecurity,andcommonprosperity鈥漣naccordancewiththeShanghaiSpirit.TheupgradedShanghaiSpritwillnotonlychartthecoursefortheSCO,butalsoinjectnewenergyintothedevelopmentoftheworldandenabletheSCOandtheworldtointegrateintoacommunitywithasharedfuture.TheauthorisdeputydirectoroftheInstituteofBeltandRoadInitiativeundertheChineseAcademyofSocialSciences.