Shanghai cooperation organization: challenges and response

Abstract

The Shanghai Cooperation Qrganization (SCQ) is an intergovernmental organization that includes China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan founded in Shanghai in 2001. Originally formed as a confidencebuilding forum to demilitarize borders, the organization's goals and agenda have since broadened to include increased military and counter terrorism cooperation and intelligence sharing. The SCQ has also intensified its focus on regional economic initiatives like the recently announced integration of the China-led Silk Road Economic Belt and the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union. While some experts say the organization has emerged as an anti-U.S. bulwark in Central Asia, others believe frictions among its members effectively preclude a strong, unified SCQ. The SCQ states occupy territory that accounts for three-fifths of the Eurasian continent and in total have a population of 3.5 billion, almost half of the world 's population. In addition to the eight member states, the SCQ has four observer nations, and six dialogue partners. The present study is focused on discussing the SCQ's agenda, the challenges the organization faces especially between Russia and China, as well as the achievements it has made in tenns of Regional Bloc. As many analyst consider it as antiWest or to put it differently as Hidden Agenda will also be critically analyzed. It will also elaborate that how historically patron of Great Game is declining and the cooperation on the basis of neoliberalism is emerging. The thesis concludes that SCQ is an emerging global organization which has effectively resolved regional problems and tensions between Russia and China has improved.