SCO scholars expect better connectivity for regional development

ZHENGZHOU, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Scholars from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) countries are upbeat that greater connectivity will enhance cooperation and joint development, as they gathered in central China's Henan Province to discuss the SCO's role and sustainable development in a changing world.

The ongoing SCO Media and Think Tank Summit is taking place in Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan, from Wednesday to Sunday. Co-hosted by Xinhua News Agency, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), and the Henan provincial government, the event has attracted more than 400 representatives from media outlets, think tanks and governments of 26 SCO countries, as well as international and regional organizations.

Since its establishment in 2001 with a focus on security cooperation, the SCO has expanded from six member states to 10 member states with two observer states and 14 dialogue partners. The participating scholars believe that the SCO can support closer economic and people-to-people ties, creating a new pattern of regional cooperation.

"The SCO possesses the practical conditions to become a new type of geo-economic entity," said Sun Zhuangzhi, head of the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies under the CASS, at a think tank forum held at the summit on Thursday.

Sun highlighted that with the accession of Iran and Belarus as member states, the SCO has the potential to develop multiple overland corridors, which can support regional economic prosperity.

As a key Eurasia hub, the SCO can establish an open and efficient transportation system, significantly contributing to economic development and connectivity across the continent, he added.

Cholpon Koichumanova, a senior scholar at Kyrgyz State University named after I. Arabaev, remarked that the SCO has gained increased influence and respect over the past few years, demonstrating its relevance in global processes.

"In the context of global transformations and shifting values, economic cooperation between Central Asia and China is especially important," she said, noting that the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway will play a critical role not just for the countries involved but also for infrastructure development and mutual ties enhancement across Central Asia.

Economic connectivity has evidently grown within the SCO since its establishment. China's customs data show that from 2001 to 2020, the share of global trade of SCO member states rose from 5.4 percent to 17.5 percent. In 2024, trade between China and other SCO member states, observers and dialogue partners reached a record 890 billion U.S. dollars.

Zhang Ting, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation with China's Ministry of Commerce, said that while the potential for economic cooperation among SCO members continues to be unleashed, there remains a shortage in connectivity regarding infrastructure and digital trade.

"Such factors have limited deeper regional economic integration and development," she said.

She thus suggested strengthening policy research collaboration to build an institutional framework for coordinated regional development based on the sustainable development strategies of member states, and deepening research in key areas such as the digital economy, green development, and industrial chain cooperation.

Hassan Daud Butt, a senior associate professor at Bahria University in Pakistan, highlighted the importance of regional connectivity and integration in transforming underperforming regions into centers of opportunity.

Butt regards the SCO as a critical framework for inclusive globalization, where "development is attuned to regional realities while connected to global opportunities," in a world striving to balance resilience with openness.

Therefore, he anticipates that the SCO framework will not only promote trade and logistics but, more importantly, empower and connect people, with a focus on quality, sustainability, digital and green connectivity.

Kin Phea, director general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, Royal Academy of Cambodia, recommended leveraging digital technologies to encourage shared knowledge and real-time cooperation. This includes the establishment of a shared digital platform for media and research institutions.

He also advised inclusive dialogue mechanisms that facilitate the exchange and cooperation among municipal authorities, think tanks, and academic institutions of the SCO countries in specific sectors such as urban innovation and public health.

According to Sun Zhuangzhi, as the SCO has entered a "relatively mature stage of development," it should shift from emphasizing the construction of consultation mechanisms to focusing more on action-oriented mechanisms, with measures to build a community with a shared future within the SCO framework.

Building a community with a shared future under the SCO is a shared aspiration of countries in the region, and also a long-term task, Sun said.

"Based on broad consensus, member states need to deepen practical cooperation across political, security, economic and cultural fields to gradually turn this vision into reality," he said. ■