June8,2018:AboothforreadingmaterialsatthemediacenterfortheSCOQingdaosummit.VCGOnJune10,2018,atthe18thsummitoftheShanghaiCooperationOrganization(SCO),asChinesePresidentXiJinpinghandedoverthechairmanshiptoKyrgyzPresidentSooronbayJeenbekovandpromisedChina’sfullsupportinpreparingthenextsummit,hisshortbutsuccinctopeningspeechhadalreadyoutlinedhowChinawillcontinuetoplayaleadingroleintheconstructionoftheSCO’scommunityofsharedfuture.
WhatmadethisspeechofPresidentXiespeciallynoticeablewasthatCanadaonthesamedaywashostingtheindustrializednations’G7summitwhichmadethisexpandingleadershipvacuumallthemoreglaring,creatinggroundsforSCOnationstoaccepttheirexpandedresponsibilitiesinformulatingglobaldiscoursesandinitiatives.JuxtaposedwithPresidentXi’sJanuary2017speechattheWorldEconomicForuminDavos,hiswordsattheSCOQingdaosummitappearedalmostprophetic,forecastingevolvingglobalgeopoliticsandtheSCO’sroleinit.
WhilephotographsofthesetwoleadershiphuddlesshowedtheSCOsummitfullofenthusiasmandbonhomie,thebodylanguageofG7leadersbetrayedtheiranguishandanxieties.MostG7nationsblameditonPresidentTrump’swhimsicalpoliciestowardshisallies,themostrecentbeinghisarbitraryraisingoftradetariffs.Refusingtosignontheirjointcommunique,TrumphadcalledhostCanada’sPrimeMinisterJustinTrudeau“dishonestandweak.”TheQingdaoDeclaration,ontheotherhand,reflectedconsensus,confidenceandcommitmentaboutvarioustimeboundplansofaction.Meanwhile,ChinahostingdozensofSCOmeetingsanditssummitthisyearhasfurthercementedPresidentXi’scredibilityasagloballeaderinensuringequitable,freeandopentradeforsharedprosperity.Abird’s-eyeviewofthefullyautomatedcontainerterminalattheportofQingdao,ineasternChina'sShandongProvince.XinhuaXi’sQingdaospeechincludedthreebroadthemes:
First,hismessagewasclearthatthetimeisupforany“self-centered,shortsightedandclose-doorpolicies”whichleftnodoubtthatitwasdirectedatPresidentTrump’srecentprotectionistpolicies.Heunderlinedtheneedto“rejectColdWarmentalityandconfrontationbetweenblocsandopposethepracticeofseekingabsolutesecurityononeselfattheexpenseofothers.”VibrationsofthismessagewerefeltworldwideasthecontrastwasclearbetweentheexclusivenatureofG7andtheinclusiveapproachoftheSCO.
Second,XioutlinedseveralgenerousoffersthatwillkeepChinaintegraltotheSCOcommunitybuilding.Chinawilltrain2,000lawenforcementofficersofSCOnationsinnextthreeyears.Forforgingcloserpeople-to-peopletiesforbuildingtheSCOfamilyinsectorsofeducation,scienceandtechnology,culture,tourism,health,disasterreliefandmedia,Xiofferedtoprovide3,000trainingopportunitiesofhumanresourcesdevelopmentforSCOmembercountries.Forsupportingdevelopmentprojects,XiannouncedthesettingupofaRMB30billionspeciallendingfacilitywithintheframeworkoftheSCOInterbankConsortium.Also,ontheBeltandRoadInitiativethatheputforward,Xiunderlinedthenewthinkingof“deliveringsharedbenefitsthroughextensiveconsultationsandjointcontribution.”
Finally,XitalkedoftheSCO’sguidingShanghaiSpiritinculcatingrespectforculturaldiversitywheremutuallearningwillhelpitovercomethesinister“clashofcivilizations”theory.Xisaiddemocracyininternationalrelationshasbecomeanunstoppabletrendofthetimes.Thisiswherehecalledforupholdingwhathecalled“innovative,coordinated,green,openandinclusivedevelopment”askeytoensuring“common,comprehensive,cooperativeandsustainablesecurity.”Xi’sQingdaospeechoutlinedhisbroadvisionforfutureandhowtheSCOcouldemergeasamodeltoreckonwith.
TheauthorisaprofessoratJawaharlalNehruUniversity,NewDelhiandseniorfellowattheCharharInstitute,Beijing.