A press conference and symposium for the release of the “Annual Report on the Development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization 2013” (also known as the “Yellow Book of the SCO”) and the “Annual Report on the Development of Central Asian Countries 2013” (also known as the “Yellow Book of the Central Asian Countries”) was held on the 11th of September in Beijing.

The event was co-sponsored by the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies (IREECAS) and the Social Sciences Academic Press, both belonging to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).

Li Yang, the Vice-President of the CASS, addressed the meeting.

Li stressed that the SCO is very important to China, since it is the only international organization in the world named after a Chinese city. The “Shanghai Spirit” it advocates is a new international cooperation pattern created to cope with the variety of challenges which the 21st century presents.

Against the backdrop of the global economy slowing down, and the regional and international situation becoming increasingly complex, the SCO is playing an increasingly significant role in regional security and economic development, as well as in global strategic adjustments. It has achieved this mainly through cooperation among its member countries, and also between members and observer countries.

Li Jinfeng, Editor-in-chief of the Annual Report on the Development of the SCO and Party Secretary of the IREECAS, noted that in recent years, an increasing number of countries have applied for membership and observer status in this organization. The SCO has now become a real regional organization with fourteen countries involved, including the six initiators, five observers and three dialogue partners, signaling its growing attraction and regional influence.

However, the profound changes and adjustments occurring in world patterns have posed a huge challenge to this young organization.

According to the Report, the regional security situation is getting grimmer, due to the economic downturn of the world’s developed economies, the US’s “Return to Asia-Pacific” strategy and the ongoing turbulence in West Asia and North Africa.

Within the SCO, meanwhile, some member countries are not in a harmonious relationship as they have different interests and strategic focuses in the spheres of politics, security and economy, which makes it more difficult to deepen their cooperation in all dimensions.

Nevertheless, experts hold that the high degree of consistency and harmony between China and Russia in their efforts to maintain and develop the SCO is giving an obvious impetus for this organization to create a bright future.

The Report states that “in 2012, a year featuring a complex and changing global political and economic situation, the SCO disappointed some western countries that expected to see turmoil within it, but instead saw most of its member countries developing their economies stably”, and thus the SCO has “withstood the test”.

The 2012 SCO Beijing Summit formulated strategies and spelled out cooperation priorities for the future development of the organization.

“In future, the SCO will give its priority to ensuring regional security and stability and step up its efforts to combat the ‘three forces’ (terrorism, extremism, and separatism),” said Li Jinfeng.

Translated by Chen Mirong

Revised by Gabriele Corsetti