Multinational mechanisms are currently consolidating and fortifying within the Eurasian political, economic, international security and defense entity established by Russia and China, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Established in 2001, the SCO is the largest regional organization in terms of geographic scope and location, covering 80% of Eurasia and 40% of world population. The members of the SCO include China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. With multiple observers and dialogue partners, China now stands ready to strengthen these alliances.

The SCO’s inclusion of India and Pakistan, whose tensions can be seen through India’s Kashmir occupation, gave the SCO greater coverage and it also highlighted China’s diplomatic prowess.

The SCO, in conjunction with BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), the UN, the Belt and Road initiative, and the departure of China and Russia from the INF, has led experts to view these alliances as political chess aiding the formation of a geopolitical casemate in preparation for widespread conflict.

Since the dissolution of the INF and the subsequent conflicts within the Eurasian region, jihadism within the Levant and Africa, the burgeoning of a fortified adversity in these SCO member countries seems to be an area of interest in the world of military defense. The galvanized economic efforts alone by some of these countries has placed the alliance of BRICS countries’ GDP in an upward trajectory against G7 countries based on Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) data.

Today, set against the backdrop of the Ala-Too Mountains in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Chinese Premier Li Qiang made remarks in a meeting with Iran’s first vice president Mohammad Mokhber on the sidelines of the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the SCO Member States that verify intelligence reflecting a new emphasis on these strategic and historical alliances.

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan hosted three integration meetings today – the Council of Heads of Government of the SCO, the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) and the Intergovernmental Council of the EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union).

Li offered four proposals on deepening SCO cooperation. First, the SCO members should jointly solidify regional security barrier. Second, SCO members should jointly promote speedy economic recovery. Third, the members should jointly enhance the Belt and Road cooperation. China has engaged in predatory lending to consolidate geopolitical power as many developing countries like Pakistan, Kenya, Zambia, and Laos, who are now burdened with debt that is consuming an ever-greater amount of their tax revenues. Fourth, the SCO member states are jointly promoting the understanding and amity among their people, culturally.

They agreed to implement the consensus reached at the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO, jointly combat the “three forces” of terrorism: separatism, extremism, and transnational organized crimes.

With U.S. sanctions against Iran, North Korea, and Russia, geopolitical lines have been drawn and our protectionist efforts have only managed to create a more formidable opposition. With China having such economic leverage through debt and trade worldwide, they have massive leverage over us. Directly through our dependence on them and indirectly through Sino-dependence of potential threats internationally.

Tlesh Mamakhatov, an expert at the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences, stated, “The format of multilateral interaction between members opens up new opportunities for resolving many pressing issues today, such as energy cooperation, the issue of ensuring economic growth and coordinated counteraction to Western pressure and sanctions.”