Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses the 23rd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) via video conference from Beijing, capital of China, July 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) provides an opportunity for member states to be engaged in constructive dialogue and strengthen multilateral cooperation in order to ease global geopolitical tensions, a Pakistani expert has said.
ISLAMABAD, July 5 (Xinhua) -- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) provides an opportunity for member states to be engaged in constructive dialogue and strengthen multilateral cooperation in order to ease global geopolitical tensions, a Pakistani expert has said.
The SCO offers a platform for member countries to discuss and explore avenues for addressing regional conflicts, promoting stability and mitigating risks in this volatile world, Khalid Taimur Akram, executive director of the Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future in Islamabad said in a recent interview with Xinhua.
"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 added.
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 and socio-economic development, he said.
"Such an initiative can contribute to promoting economic integration, increasing connectivity, and improving the living standard of the SCO member states," he added.
"By focusing on inclusive and sustainable development, China's efforts in this regard align with the SCO's goals of fostering cooperation and stability," he said.
Meanwhile, the China-proposed Global Security Initiative is "crucial for the stability and prosperity of the world," he said, adding that it is important for addressing transnational security challenges, helping counterterrorism, combating organized crime and enhancing border security.
"By promoting cooperation in intelligence sharing, joint military exercises, and capacity-building, the initiative can contribute to maintaining peace and stability within the region, and strengthen security collaboration among SCO member states," Akram added.
Akram said that the Global Civilization Initiative, also proposed by China, fosters a climate of cooperation and harmony within the SCO member states, and promotes cultural exchanges as well as people-to-people interactions.
Talking about the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said that through them China is bringing prosperity and economic stability to Pakistan with billions of dollars in investment in mega projects.
Akram said that in the first phase of the CPEC, China helped Pakistan build its transportation and energy infrastructure, paving the way for trade opportunities and industrialization in the country.
"Through the CPEC, China is promoting economic growth, facilitating trade, and enhancing people-to-people exchanges by encouraging regional development in Pakistan. These efforts align with the spirit of the SCO, which seeks to enhance cooperation among member states for the benefit of the region," he added.
The Pakistani expert said that through economic collaboration under the BRI, China connected its own prosperity with regional growth, which is in line with the SCO's objective of promoting economic integration and shared prosperity.
Talking about the significance of the SCO for Pakistan, he said that his country is benefitting from it as a member.
"Pakistan and China share the same goals of common spirit and peace," he added.■
