Xi's speech underscores peace, solidarity

Experts hail organization's efforts in promoting stability, mitigating risks

President Xi Jinping's speech at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization virtual summit on Tuesday highlighted China's determination to enhance "peace and solidarity" in the region as the SCO has served as a platform for "promoting stability and mitigating risks in this volatile world", overseas experts have said.

Noting the points of peace and solidarity from Xi's remarks, Haans Freddy, a professor in the department of political science at Madras Christian College in Chennai, said it is evident that China is keen to expand SCO's reach in terms of global governance.

China also seems poised to take on a greater level of leadership in the region by espousing the ideals of peace while seeking cooperation with member states.

Dicky Budiman, an epidemiologist at Griffith University in Australia, said the focus on pragmatic cooperation in President Xi's remarks to speed up economic recovery is "commendable". He noted that the SCO can lay a solid foundation for sustained regional health security by prioritizing economic recovery.

"Economic stability and growth are fundamental to ensuring long-term health security, as financial resources are necessary to support healthcare systems, research and development, and emergency response efforts," he added.

Budiman also said Xi's emphasis on strengthening exchanges and mutual learning among SCO countries demonstrates a commitment to sharing knowledge and experiences.

Explaining the reason for President Xi's call for scaling up a system under which foreign trade could be settled in local currencies, Archana Upadhyay, a professor at the Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies of Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, said the idea is to de-dollarize global transactions as a kind of economic countermeasure against the West, as the United States is regarded to have weaponized the dollar.

Constructive dialogue

Adhere Cavince, a Nairobi-based scholar of international relations with a focus on China-Africa development cooperation, said the SCO has evolved into an important platform for member states to engage in constructive dialogue for inclusive development.

"As President Xi noted at the meeting, the world is currently facing multiple challenges that can only be overcome through true and functional multilateralism. Forces of anti-globalization are on the rise; so is extreme nationalism that has the potential to plunge the world into irretrievable conflict. Economic cooperation should continue to be the leading agenda for the organization."

Khalid Taimur Akram, executive director of the Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future in Islamabad, also praised the SCO as a platform for member countries to discuss and explore avenues for addressing regional conflicts, promoting stability and mitigating risks.

"The SCO has been recognized as an important forum for promoting regional stability and security and addressing regional challenges, including terrorism, separatism and extremism," he said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency.

China's involvement in the SCO is "highly significant for countries interested in joining the organization", he said.

"China's economic opportunities, infrastructure expertise, and regional influence are advantageous to countries seeking to join the organization, because China believes in building a community with a shared future for mankind," he added.

The China-proposed Global Development Initiative has great potential for fostering economic growth, he said.

"Such an initiative can contribute to promoting economic integration, increasing connectivity, and improving the living standards of the SCO member states," he added.

Looking forward, Cavince said a stronger, more functional SCO can act as a guiding light for other regional multilateral pursuits and can make a durable contribution to the strengthening of global governance frameworks and development outcomes.

Contact the writers at vivienxu@chinadailyapac.com.

Wang Xiaodong in Nairobi, Zhao Ruinan in Beijing and Xinhua contributed to this story.