By Dr. Sawraj Singh
The 12th Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was just held in Beijing. The organization was founded on June 15, 2001. Since then, it has grown tremendously and is now seen as a counter-organization to NATO. In 2001, the total trade between its members China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan was 12.1 billion dollars. Now, it has increased trade to 90 billion dollars.
India, Pakistan, Mongolia, and Iran have been granted Observer status and Belarus and Sri Lanka have become Dialogue members. During the summit, Afghanistan was made an Observer and Turkey was made a Dialogue member. Both India and Pakistan have expressed the desire to become full members. However, it will take about 2 years to figure out the process and procedures to become full members.
The Afghanistan issue dominated the summit. This was so because NATO forces will be withdrawn by 2014. Therefore, there was a big concern about the stability and security in Afghanistan and the region. The members, particularly China, felt that the economic development in Afghanistan can help to maintain stability and security in Afghanistan. The Afghan President Karzai said that he wants to strengthen Afghanistan’s relations with China. China has pledged a 10 billion dollar loan to the Organization; some of the money can be used in Afghanistan in the fields of mining, energy, and infrastructure. China may also invest in these fields directly.
On Syria, the Organization wants no intervention from the western countries. Russia and China have already vetoed the resolutions in the Security Council which could have led to western intervention. They have strongly opposed western intervention in Syria and are likely to block any other United Nations resolution on Syria which is intended for changing the regime.
The growing relations between Russia and China became apparent during the summit. This was the eighth visit of Putin to China since he became President 12 years ago. The trade between the two countries is rapidly growing. Last year, it was 80 billion dollars. It is expected that the 100 billion dollar trade target set for the year 2015 will be met before 2015. He said that Asia is growing, while the West is facing a crisis, and that Russia will continue to look East. Putin said that a strong and prosperous China was in Russia’s interest, while a strong and prosperous Russia was in China’s interest. Putin said that it is totally wrong that Russia should be concerned about China’s rise.
China strongly criticized the American and Israeli plans to attack Iran. China also criticized America’s pressure on China to cut back import of oil from Iran and said that this goes against the fundamental interests of China. Such pressure can only increase tensions between America and China. The Iranian president Ahmadinejad found much support in the summit.
The Indian Foreign Minister, Mr. Krishna, was well-received in The Great Hall of the People. He got an opportunity to meet the new and emerging leaders in China. China is very pleased with the personal relationship between Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. Mr. Li, who will replace Mr. Wen Jiabao, seems to look favorably at India and hopes to continue the present cordial relations between the two Prime Ministers.
While Mr. Krishna was in China attending the summit, Mr. Panetta, the American Secretary of Defense, was in India, pathetically trying to align India against China. India is increasingly becoming uncomfortable with America’s aggressive tactics to include it in America’s policy of containing China. America is shifting 60% of its naval strength to the Pacific. It is increasing its presence in the Bay of Bengal. India feels that a confrontation between America and China (and Russia) close to its borders is not in the best interests of India because it can pull India into a most devastating Third World War. While India has some concerns about growing Chinese presence in the region, yet it is even more concerned about the growing aggressive American stand. Also, while India shares some regional concerns with America, yet at a global level, it sees much more commonality with China; particularly it sees the emerging multipolar world order in a positive fashion.
As with Russia, it is dawning on India that the West is declining and the East is rising. Therefore, India also wants to look more to the East.
Just like the BRICS summit before, the SCO summit clearly showed that the days of western domination and American hegemony are numbered and that the western empire is crumbling. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization can act as a big catalyst in the sinking of the Western Empire.
Dr. Sawraj Singh, MD F.I.C.S. is the Chairman of the Washington State Network for Human Rights and Chairman of the Central Washington Coalition for Social Justice. He can be reached at [email protected].
