In an interview with RIA Novosti, SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming spoke about the results of the work for 2022 and plans for further expansion of the organization, with whom the SCO competes in the region and how it fights the forces of the “three evils”, what support in the economy and energy can member states provide each other, and also why they did not join anti-Russian sanctions. Anna Ratkoglo, a correspondent of RIA Novosti in Beijing, spoke.
– The year 2022 as a whole was extremely difficult for the whole world, almost every SCO member state faced serious challenges in one way or another. How have international events affected the work of the organization and the mutual trust of the member States?
The past year 2022 was difficult and extremely difficult, but it was also a year of turning challenges into opportunities and achieving new development. Throughout the year, the geopolitical situation in the world has undergone complex and profound changes, international politics, economy, security and order have faced numerous crises. I am somewhat pleased that, when faced with this situation, the SCO member states maintain a high level of mutual understanding, correctly assess difficulties and move towards each other.
All sides agree that the more difficult and harsh the outside world is, the more it is necessary to maintain cohesion and mutual assistance within the “big family” for the sake of joint protection of the interests of the stable development of the region.
At the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State held in Samarkand in September 2022, the countries once again confirmed that joint assistance in building a Community of a common destiny of humanity and a new type of international relations based on mutual respect, justice, impartiality and mutually beneficial cooperation is of great and urgent importance.
The constant goal of the member States since the establishment of the organization has been to strengthen and deepen long-term relations of good neighborliness, friendship and cooperation. The achievements of the region’s development over the past 2021 demonstrate that the values jointly defended by the Member States, such as mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultations, respect for different civilizations and the desire for common development have withstood the test of time and serious international changes, becoming a source of vitality and an inexhaustible driving force for the development of the organization.
– The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is called a new center of power in a changing world, in your opinion, will the SCO gradually become a regional association that will have more influence and supporters in Asia than the United States and the alliances they lead? Does the SCO have such a goal?
I remember a line from a poem: “I did not call to fight for freedom, I did not know those worthy of this honor” (“I strove with none, for none was worth mystrife”, by Walter Savage Landor). If we talk about “comparison” and “competition”, then the SCO “compares” and “competes” only with itself. We must strive to make the region safer than before, to make our peoples live better, and to make our cooperation deeper, broader and stronger. I want to say once again that the SCO is open for cooperation with all countries and regional organizations.
Last November, I took part in a series of ASEAN summits. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization and ASEAN are adjacent to each other, have the same or similar cultural traditions and values. The two organizations have common interests and great opportunities for cooperation in the field of security, combating new threats and challenges, responding to climate change, as well as in the field of investment, trade, science and technology, and the use of natural resources.
Currently, there are those who are engaged in block confrontation and severing ties in the Asia-Pacific region, against this background, strengthening cooperation between the SCO and ASEAN is even more timely and necessary.
At the same time, regardless of international changes and the expansion of the SCO’s “circle of friends”, we always remember that we are a cooperation organization and firmly adhere to the principle of non-alignment with the blocs and do not target third parties.
– After the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, the SCO members did not join the anti-Russian sanctions, which caused dissatisfaction with Western partners, especially a lot of criticism was voiced against China. What is the reason for such an independent position of the SCO countries?
The SCO member states unite on the basis of common values and share the same or similar positions on many important international and regional issues. After the beginning of the Ukrainian conflict, the SCO paid close attention to it and supported the relevant countries so that, focusing on the general situation in the region, they would continue to work to resolve differences, move towards each other in the direction of finding common interests, achieve peace and resolve the conflict by peaceful, political and diplomatic means.
We have noticed that many SCO member States are ready to create favorable conditions for strengthening contacts between the respective countries, proper settlement and resolution of the problem, and they also continue to make their own efforts to overcome the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
– Is it possible, in your opinion, to say that the SCO countries are much more independent in determining their foreign policy and position on various international issues than the same European countries? Is there any merit of the organization in this?
Instead of saying that there is some merit of the SCO in this, it is better to say that the member states of the SCO large family have a relatively high degree of comfort in coexistence with each other. This degree of comfort is mainly due to two factors, one of them is the “Shanghai Spirit”, which, in fact, is the idea of multilateralism and defends the need to build interstate relations on the principles of equality, mutual respect, consideration of each other’s interests and concerns, mutually beneficial cooperation and non–interference in internal affairs.
The second factor is the SCO security concept. The member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization have formed an equal, common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept based on long-term cooperation. We strongly reject the cold War mentality and focus on strengthening security through cooperation and resolving disputes through dialogue. This is highly approved by the Member States and plays an important role in maintaining regional stability and prosperity.
– Islamic Republic Iran and the Republic of Belarus are actively engaged in procedures for joining the SCO, what will the accession of these two countries give the organization? Which States have applied to join the organization in the last year, to join as an observer or a dialogue partner?
The international community is closely following the expansion of the SCO family. In 2017, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization conducted a fairly large round of expansion, accepting India and Pakistan as member states, and in 2022 another major expansion began.
In September, the SCO held a Summit in Samarkand, during which the leaders of the member states decided to start the procedure for Belarus to join the SCO as a full member and to launch the process of joining Bahrain, Kuwait, Maldives, UAE and Myanmar as SCO dialogue partners.
I signed a Memorandum of Obligations in the SCO with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahiyan, as well as Memoranda on granting the status of a dialogue partner in the SCO with representatives of Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and other countries. Thus, the SCO family has 26 members. If you see applications from all sides on my table, you will feel even more the attractiveness and influence of the SCO in the international arena.
I am confident that as new members join, the SCO will play a more important role in maintaining regional security and stability, increasing the “pie” of the common interests of the member states and in promoting the development of the global governance system in a fair and reasonable direction. I would like to take this opportunity to repeat that the SCO is an open organization, and any country that agrees with the “Shanghai Spirit” and observes the SCO Charter can join it.
– We see that against the background of anti-Russian sanctions, the structure of the global energy market has begun to change actively, the United States is trying to adjust it to itself, but not all countries agree with this, including SCO members and dialogue partners. Do you think the SCO countries can build their energy partnership that would work primarily for the interests of the countries of the association? Do the SCO need to create a separate mechanism for this?
The SCO’s mutually beneficial cooperation in the energy sector has great potential and broad prospects, because the SCO has both suppliers and consumers of energy, there are exporting countries and importing countries of energy carriers, there are rich oil and gas fields, besides there are pipelines of considerable capacity, advanced technological and engineering potential. From the point of view of energy, the SCO can be called a miniature version of the Community of the common destiny of mankind.
The SCO countries have been paying increased attention to energy cooperation for a long time, carried out highly effective research and practical activities, accumulated valuable experience and achieved fruitful results. In 2021, a new cooperation mechanism was launched within the SCO – a meeting of energy ministers of the organization’s member states, which gave a new impetus to the development of highly efficient energy cooperation in the SCO.
Against the background of serious challenges to energy security caused by factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical conflicts, the development of effective energy cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has become even more urgent.
The creation of cooperation mechanisms and the improvement of the regulatory framework provided good conditions for regional energy cooperation, gave a new impetus to regular dialogues and joint response to new challenges and threats in this area, as well as provided guarantees and confidence in the security and stability of the international energy market.
Next, we need to work together to implement the agreements reached, ensure sustainable energy development and make sure that our countries-producers and suppliers of energy resources, as well as the region and the international community benefit from our cooperation.
– Last year, a meeting of the heads of defense departments of the SCO countries took place in Moscow, during which the parties discussed cooperation in the military sphere. Do you think the SCO should focus on strengthening military cooperation?
Cooperation in the fields of security and defense is one of the main areas of activity within the SCO. The SCO is one of the first international organizations in the world to prioritize the fight against terrorism. To date, a number of documents on security cooperation have been adopted, namely, the Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism, the Treaty on Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation between Member States, and an effective and reliable platform for cooperation has also been created.
The Member States are constantly improving the mechanisms of the Meeting of Defense Ministers and Chiefs of General Staffs. Multilateral or bilateral joint military anti-terrorist exercises, exchanges on personnel training and advanced training courses in the field of border protection have been held repeatedly. Concrete results have been achieved, especially in achieving strategic security, defense security, law enforcement security, information security, in the fight against the forces of the “three evils” (terrorism, extremism, separatism), drugs, money laundering and organized crime.
The SCO’s efforts directly contribute to the preservation of peace, security and stability in the region, meet the vital interests of its member States and allow our peoples to fully benefit from the dividends brought to them by rapid economic and social development achieved in a calm and normal environment.
– Are joint military exercises of the SCO planned this year? If so, will countries other than full members of the organization participate in them?
Following the meeting of the defense ministers of the SCO member states, it was decided to hold joint military anti-terrorist command and staff exercises “Peace Mission – 2023” on the territory of the Russian Federation, during which ways of countering new tactics used by international terrorists, including issues of combating unmanned aerial vehicles, ensuring information security, will be worked out, prevention of terrorist attacks using chemical and biological weapons.
Participation in the “Peace Mission” of other countries is allowed, but the final decision will be made in the course of appropriate consultations by all member States of the organization on the basis of consensus.
– What do you think should be done to increase more effective trade and economic cooperation between the SCO countries? How is the initiative to increase mutual settlements in national currencies progressing?
The long-term prospects for trade and economic cooperation within the SCO are linked to the need for a gradual transition to the free movement of goods, capital, services and technologies. Currently, the work of various specialized cooperation mechanisms, in fact, is aimed at creating the necessary conditions for this. An important factor in this context is the consistent expansion by Member States of the practice of using national currencies in mutual settlements.
During the meeting of the Council of Heads of SCO Member States held in September 2022 in Samarkand, a Roadmap was adopted to gradually increase the share of national currencies in mutual settlements of the SCO member states.
The practical implementation of this document is on the agenda today. The relevant work is carried out within the framework of a specially created and regularly meeting expert group represented by representatives of the central banks of the member States. Issues of expanding the use of national currencies are also being promoted on the platform of the SCO Interbank Association, a public structure created to organize a mechanism for financing and banking services for investment projects supported by the governments of the SCO member states.
The expansion of the use of national currencies in trade finance operations, the intensification of work on the formation of a system of cross-border payments in national currencies and the exchange of relevant financial information are considered relevant today. It is obvious that the development of mechanisms for financing investment projects acceptable to all parties, the creation of a Development Bank and a Special SCO Account will help to fill practical cooperation with new content.
The development of healthy economic relations in the modern world is also impossible without deepening interconnectedness within the organization. The most convenient and shortest transportation routes, simplification and digitalization of documentation and procedures for improving transport infrastructure play an important role in creating favorable conditions for the development of trade.
In this regard, the leaders of the eight SCO countries at the Samarkand Summit adopted the Concept of Cooperation on the Development of Interconnectedness and the Creation of Efficient Transport Corridors, the Program of Infrastructure Development in the SCO space, as well as a Statement on ensuring reliable, Sustainable and Diversified Supply Chains. The implementation of these documents will contribute to building up more effective trade and economic cooperation between the SCO member states.
– How much, according to the SCO, have the security risks in the region increased after the arrival of the Taliban (the Taliban* – the organization is under UN sanctions for terrorist activities) to power in Afghanistan? Does the organization still have channels for contacts with the current leadership of the country? Are there any joint efforts being made by the SCO to prevent the growth of drug trafficking and the terrorist threat to the countries of the association bordering Afghanistan?
The SCO originates from cooperation in the field of security and has always considered it its priority. Security cooperation can only be strengthened, it cannot be weakened, and this is a common call that I heard during my visits to the SCO member states in 2022.
Afghanistan is a country of the SCO region, and the Afghan issue is directly related to regional security and development interests. The SCO has been paying close attention to the Afghan issue for a long time and has always placed it on an important place on the security agenda. Since its establishment in 2005, the SCO—Afghanistan Contact Group has played an active role in consolidated regional mediation efforts on the Afghan issue. In recent years, the SCO has also cooperated with the CIS and the CSTO on the Afghan issue.
At the same time, the SCO supports the efforts of the international community with the key coordinating role of the UN to ensure political, socio-economic and humanitarian stability, the SCO member states actively provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and support the economic reconstruction of Afghanistan and practical cooperation.
The SCO will make efforts to play an active role based on the sincerity and consensus of all parties in promoting the settlement of the Afghan problem and continuously improving Afghanistan’s ability to cope with security risks and challenges.
– The SCO has been holding an international marathon for many years, does the association plan to organize international competitions in other sports for athletes from member countries, dialogue partners and observers?
Sport is one of the important tools for ensuring peace, social integration and sustainable development, as well as an important component of the humanitarian direction of SCO cooperation. The SCO strives to popularize sports and a healthy lifestyle. Every year we hold a number of events aimed at developing sports exchanges between Member States. The Kunming Marathon has been held on a regular basis since 2016, and the Issyk–Kul Marathon since 2019. The Kunming Marathon has a silver license from the International Association of Athletics Federations. And the winner of the Issyk-Kul marathon has the opportunity to participate in the Summer Olympic Games. In addition, separate marathons under the auspices of the SCO have been repeatedly held in Dushanbe, Tashkent and other cities. These marathons have become the “calling card” of the organization.
In 2022, the first Meeting of the heads of relevant ministries and departments responsible for the development of physical culture and sports of the SCO member states was held. This format of interaction allows the SCO countries to strengthen, develop sports ties and activate promising areas of cooperation in this area. At the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in Samarkand this year, the heads of the SCO member States proposed to hold international sports events under the auspices of the SCO, emphasizing the importance of cooperation in this area.
It is worth noting that the SCO chairing states can initiate any kind of sports competitions. Thus, in 2022, under the chairmanship of the Republic of Uzbekistan, an esports Championship was held among students of the SCO member states, within the framework of the chairmanship of the Indian side, the first boat race is planned to be held in 2023.
As for the participation of athletes from observer States or dialogue partners, it is worth noting that, of course, such a competition format is possible and is being considered. At the moment, we are studying a proposal to create an Association of Sports organizations under the auspices of the SCO.
Of course, the practical implementation of the projects will depend on the international and epidemiological situation. But we are full of optimism and are ready to promote the sports spirit of the SCO.
– What are the main events planned for the SCO in 2023?
In September 2022, India became the SCO Chairman for the first time for 2022-2023, it has done extensive work and, together with all member states, has prepared an Action Plan for 2022-2023.
According to the Plan of the Indian presidency, it is planned to hold more than 100 events covering the political, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres, as well as security issues. Among them are regular meetings of the main mechanisms of the Organization and events related to new initiatives of the SCO member states. As of the end of 2022, 20 events have been successfully held.
The main event of this year, of course, will be the meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers and the Council of Heads of SCO Member States in India, as well as the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the member states in the Kyrgyz Republic. Currently, the parties are discussing the duration of meetings and the agenda.
Source: http://rus.sectsco.org/media_SCO/20230109/926957/RIA-Novosti-Chzhan-Min-stranam-ShOS-komfortno-sosuschestvovat-drug-s-drugom.html