中文
By Qian Feng
"Staying true to our founding mission and advancing unity and coordination to realize greater development." On July 4, in his video address at the 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Chinese President Xi Jinping actively advocated the "Shanghai Spirit" for the future development of the SCO, put forward five proposals, and announced a series of major new initiatives, vigorously promoting a new journey toward the opening of the organization.
Over the past 23 years, SCO member states have followed the "Shanghai Spirit" of "mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity and common development," jointly promoting political mutual trust, shared security and stability, seeking prosperity and development, and successfully blazed a trail of cooperation and development among regional organizations.
First of all, the SCO has continuously expanded its membership from a regional organization composed of China, Russia and Central Asian countries to a trans-regional organization with nine member states, three observer states and 14 dialogue partners, demonstrating the vitality of the "SCO Big Family." Secondly, the SCO mechanism has gradually developed and improved, and communication and cooperation mechanisms in various fields and departments have been established among member states. Thirdly, the SCO has expanded from the initial counter-terrorism sphere to security, economic and cultural cooperation, and is regarded by more and more countries as an important balancing and progressive force in international affairs.
At present, the world is an intertwined web and changes unseen in a century are accelerating. The SCO has a more important mission in maintaining regional security and stability and promoting the development and revitalization of all countries. As a founding member of the SCO and the second largest economy in the world, how China will promote the development of the SCO has attracted much attention.
"Keep to the right direction and enhance solidarity and mutual trust... focus on practical cooperation and expedite economic recovery… focus on strengthening exchanges and mutual learning and forging closer bonds among people... practice multilateralism and improve global governance." Starting from the concept of building an SCO community with a shared future, President Xi put forward a five-point proposal to the participating leaders, demonstrating China's responsibility for promoting regional stability and prosperity in the region and the world.
Keep to the right direction and enhance solidarity and mutual trust.
Xi called for members to step up strategic communication and coordination, bridge differences through dialogue, and replace competition with cooperation, truly respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and firmly support each other's endeavor toward development and rejuvenation. He warned of external forces instigating "color revolution," and called for independent foreign policy in order to take one's destiny into one's own hands. This is not only what's best to expect for the SCO to continue on its path of "dialogue instead of confrontation, cooperation instead of alliance," but also a solemn warning to external forces.
Maintain regional peace and ensure common security
Xi said that China is ready to work with all sides to implement the Global Security Initiative, promote the settlement of international disputes through dialogue and consultation, and encourage political settlement of international and regional hotspots, so as to forge a solid security shield in the region. As we all know, in March this year, under the constructive mediation of China, Saudi Arabia and Iran decided to restore diplomatic relations. It is a successful practice of the Global Security Initiative. China's diplomatic actions have been widely praised by the international community, fully reflecting the attitude of being a responsible major country by "matching words with deeds."
Focus on practical cooperation and speed up economic recovery
Xi encouraged all parties to work together to implement the Global Development Initiative, enhance the connection of a high-quality BRI cooperation with the development strategies of various countries and regional cooperation initiatives so as to make the pie of win-win cooperation bigger, and ensure that more development gains will be shared more fairly by people across the world. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the BRI, and the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation will be held in 2023. Against the backdrop of the unstable and uncertain momentum of the international economic recovery, this road to benefit the world has undoubtedly brought more expectations globally.
Strengthen exchanges and forge closer bonds among people
Xi not only encouraged countries to deepen education, science and technology, culture, health, sports, media cooperation, hold more cultural exchange activities to consolidate public support for the development of national relations, as he always does, but he also announced that in the next three years, China will provide 1,000 international Chinese language teachers scholarships and 3,000 "Chinese Bridge" summer camps, and he invited 100 young scientists to China to participate in scientific research exchanges. This is also China's determination to welcome all parties to join the Global Civilization Initiative and promote people-to-people connection.
Practice multilateralism and improve global governance
Xi called on all parties to uphold the UN-centered international system and the international order based on international law, and oppose hegemony and power politics, make global governance more just and equitable, jointly promote world peace, drive global development and safeguard the international order. This reflects China's consistent and principled position in diplomacy, and is clearly different from the so-called "rules-based order" of some major countries. It is true multilateralism in line with the trend of the times.
At present, with its development and growth, the SCO stands at a new historical starting point, facing unique development opportunities as well as unprecedented risks and challenges. The five-point proposal made by President Xi will strongly encourage the SCO to continue to uphold the "Shanghai Spirit," make more "SCO Contributions" to the stability and development of the region and the world at large, and inject more certainty and positive energy.
Qian Feng, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a senior research fellow at the National Strategic Institute, Tsinghua University, and Taihe Institute.
