SCO rises to challenges

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, whose six member states have a combined territory accounting for three-fifths of Eurasia, is a pioneering undertaking reflecting their peoples' common wish for peace, development and cooperation.

It has blazed a new path for interactions between countries and wrought innovations in international security cooperation. So it is no surprise that this year's SCO summit, which opens today in Beijing, has grabbed the attention of the international community.

How the leaders of the six countries chart the future of the SCO will not only shape the development of the regional organization itself, but also have far-reaching consequences for the world's geopolitical landscape.

Since its founding in Shanghai in 2001, the regional organization has thrived and over the years China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have consolidated political mutual trust, taken concrete measures to jointly combat terrorism and forged robust trade ties.

The Beijing summit comes at a critical time when the development of the SCO is at an important juncture as the world undergoes profound changes. While the momentum for peace, development and cooperation is building, instability and uncertainties have also increased.

Under such circumstances, it is a pressing task for the leaders of the six member states to review the past and agree on a blueprint for their cooperation in the next decade.

The most prominent achievement of the SCO is its members' substantial cooperation in combating the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism.

In order to meet the new challenges and threats in the region, it is a natural choice for the SCO members to enhance their cooperation and capabilities so they can prevent and handle emergencies.

Meanwhile, the success of the SCO means it appeals to many countries in the region and expanding the membership is also on the agenda. The leaders are expected to discuss the proposal to accept Afghanistan as its fifth observer along with Mongolia, Pakistan, Iran and India, and the proposal that Turkey should join Belarus and Sri Lanka as a dialogue partner.

We have reasons to believe the Beijing summit will be a new milestone in the history of the SCO. So long as member states join hands to stride toward the objectives set by the meeting, the regional organization can embrace an even brighter future.

(China Daily 06/06/2012 page8)