The Shanghai Cooperation Organization: A New Era of Global Politics
The Dawn of a New Global Era
The economic conditions of the world are seeing the sunrise of a new era, a new global politics, and in this new dawn, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has a key role to play. Trying to understand its impact by limiting it to just one column would not be an appropriate approach. Because its effects are increasing gradually, it is very important to understand every step. The SCO is practically led by China, which aims to make the concept of supremacy of one power in the world political system a mere memory of the past by establishing other similar organizations.
Evolutionary Strategic Changes
The analysis should be about the conditions under which these evolutionary strategic changes are taking place and what the current perception is regarding the world system. We must examine the fundamental points that the new world system should be based on. When we look at the perception of the post-World War-II system, it is clear that this system is seen as a successor to the colonial system. Nowadays, because it is easier to occupy by other means rather than direct occupation, such methods are being employed.
Control and Economic Intervention
In developing countries, it is a common complaint that a specific strategy is adopted to keep them under control. Due to the power politics of the big powers, weaker countries fall further. Powerful countries are the first to intervene in economic affairs to maintain their hegemony, doing everything possible to ensure that countries under their influence do not succeed in making any economic development that would lead to their independence from these big powers.
Industrial Decline and Political Ethics
Industrial growth is transformed into decline. Disregarding the accepted political ethics around the world, countries that big powers aim to control face sponsorship of separatism, extremism, and terrorism. Unfortunately, the powers that became the backbone of the world system after World War II did not make any effort to remove this impression. On the contrary, the continuation of such measures shows that organizations, including the United Nations and the promises made within it, hold little importance. Especially when the UN was disregarded to remove Saddam, the little trust left in it also collapsed.
The Emergence of the Shanghai Spirit
Now, in these circumstances, the slogan of the Shanghai Spirit has emerged from the SCO, strongly emphasized by China, the leading country of this organization. The Shanghai Spirit means that the world system, in which the SCO will have an important status, will not suppress the rights of small or weak countries by force.
Mutual Trust and Cooperation
Mutual trust is its main pillar. Thanks to this mutual trust, these countries will jointly form policies that will open doors of mutual benefit for all. Equality and common development should be sought through mutual consultation and respect for each other’s culture. The main objective of the SCO is to take joint measures to protect the common interests of its members so that they achieve strategic autonomy. The visible special purpose is to make interference by big powers outside this region a thing of the past. Security problems in this region can only be handled through cooperation.
Global Security Initiative
To achieve this goal, China is presenting the Global Security Initiative as a guiding framework. For this purpose, the mutual differences among SCO member countries should be resolved together. This point is very important for Pakistan because both Pakistan and India are members of this organization. If India is sincere in achieving the objectives of the SCO, it should proceed to settle all its issues with Pakistan. At the same time, Pakistan should deeply consider how to align its relations to achieve its interests. Commitment to the SCO should not mean distancing from anyone, though this goal is difficult, it is not impossible.
