12/23/2015

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation - An Asian tapestry

By Chua Chin Leng (chinadaily.com.cn)Updated: 2015-12-15 14:46

Since its humble beginning as the Shanghai Five, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is growing in stature as a regional political and economic organization.

Created for confidence building measures between Russia, China and the Central Asian states, the SCO has been very successful in reducing regional tension and ensuring peace and stability in Asia. With the growing threats of terrorism, the member states work together to contain the scourge of terrorism spreading into the respective countries.

The original conceptualization of this security organization grew out of a necessity. The plan was to lower tension and to build trust, to provide a formal framework for consultation and cooperation in security matters, it has expanded its role to cooperation and mutual support in the international arena for its member states. The fact that many countries are lining up to join this low key regional organization signifies its recognition and acceptance as a valued organization.

Uzbekistan was added to the original Shanghai Five of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in 2001. This year, India and Pakistan were accepted as the two new members. Many Asian states have applied and been accepted as 'observers' and 'dialogue partners'. The USA also applied to be an observer (a prerequisite to become a full member) but was rejected in 2005.

The security of Asia, to remain as a unified region free from conflict and warfare, depends a great deal to an organization like the SCO. Smaller Asian countries need a security umbrella to protect them from big powers. It is of utmost importance that the SCO sew up this tapestry with more Asian members, to keep them together and not be divided and be at odds with each other. A divided Asia will provide the cracks needed for unfriendly forces to exploit and to engage in sowing conflicts. With more Asian countries showing interest to be a member of SCO, it shows these countries seek peace and stability in Asia. They seek security and protection that the SCO can provide them.

Asia must remain united as a region free from war. The SCO proves to be a dependable and indispensable stabilizing role. They must seize the moment to sew up more Asian states into its tapestry to keep them stitched together as parts of Asia, a united Asia where peace prevails.

The author is a political observer from Singapore.
The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and don't represent views of China Daily website.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

SCO could be a sound concept to avoid ( perpetual ) war ....?

Anonymous said...

After WWII, EEC was set up in 1957 under the Treaty of Rome.

Unknown said...

Hello Everybody,
My name is Mrs Sharon Sim. I live in Singapore and i am a happy woman today? and i told my self that any lender that rescue my family from our poor situation, i will refer any person that is looking for loan to him, he gave me happiness to me and my family, i was in need of a loan of S$250,000.00 to start my life all over as i am a single mother with 3 kids I met this honest and GOD fearing man loan lender that help me with a loan of S$250,000.00 SG. Dollar, he is a GOD fearing man, if you are in need of loan and you will pay back the loan please contact him tell him that is Mrs Sharon, that refer you to him. contact Dr Purva Pius,via email:(urgentloan22@gmail.com) Thank you.

Anonymous said...

After GE 2015, the PAP government was formed to better the lives of all Singaporeans.
- I'm sure the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation will likewise live up to its promise.

Anonymous said...

Asia must remain united as a region free from war.
RB

Asia, just like smart Sinkies, is more interested in making money than war. So with or without SCO, Asia will be a region free from war. And unlike the Middle East, and hard America may try, they cannot provoke a war in Asia if Asia do not want war.

And hard the Sinkie opposition may try, they cannot win in elections if the majority Sinkies do not want to vote for parties which are not ready to be govt.

Anonymous said...

GOD fearing man loan lender that help me with a loan of S$250,000.00 SG. Dollar, he is a GOD fearing man, if you are in need of loan and you will pay back the loan please contact him tell him that is Mrs Sharon, that refer you to him. contact Dr Purva Pius,via email:(urgentloan22@gmail.com) Thank you.
December 23, 2015 9:56 am

Dear Ms Sim
Thanks for sharing your life story.
We are so lucky in Singapore to have so many GOD fearing money lenders.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Hi Sharon, welcome to the blog.
In view of the many scams involving money lending, please email to me to prove your identity. If it is genuine I have no problem for you to post that comment here. If it is another scam I would delete it. You have by midnight to contact me.

Everyone reading the comments by Sharon please be warned that it could be another scam. I would give Sharon a day to confirm her post. Remember, when something is too good to be true, it is likely to be a scam.

Beware of scams!

Anonymous said...

The elephant in the room is:
Why are there so many money lenders in Singapore in the first place?
Are Singaporeans so desperately short of cash in this wonderful 70% PAP country?

Anonymous said...

We love PAP!
We love CPF!
We love our HDB flats that belong to HDB.
We love buying expensive cars.
We love our reliable MRT trains.
We love our Millionaire PAP Ministers.

We love $ingapore.
What's wrong with collecting more money?

Anonymous said...

"When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, over the course of time they create for themselves a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it."
Frédéric Bastiat

Anonymous said...

"Are Singaporeans so desperately short of cash in this wonderful 70% PAP country?"
Anon 10:44 am

Because they want things nice to have, rather than need to have, so short of cash lor.

This one how to blame PAP, u tell me lah?

Anonymous said...

This one how to blame PAP, u tell me lah?
December 23, 2015 11:30 am

Why not?
Cars in Singapore are way too expensive.
And why are we paying 99 years of rent in advance to HDB for the HDB flat that belongs to HDB?

Anonymous said...

"The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation - An Asian tapestry"

The Opposition Parties Cooperation Organisation - A Singaporean pipe dream.
The Wise Singaporean Voters Cooperation Organization - A Singaporean Unicorn

Anonymous said...

"The Opposition Parties Cooperation Organisation - A Singaporean pipe dream."
Anon 11:47 am

And a dream that they will never wake up from.

Anonymous said...

"When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, over the course of time they create for themselves a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it."
Frédéric Bastiat

Anonymous said...

"When you can no longer tell the difference between yourself and the enemy, it's time to get out"

Dear PAPigs and the 70%.
So what's it going to be in GE 2020?

Veritas said...

You can destroy an organization by accepting a lot of incoherent members.

b said...

Its time someone rival the us lead nato hegemony.

Anonymous said...

"When you can no longer tell the difference between yourself and a Traitor, it's time to get out"

denk said...

its in sco, its in brics..
talk about the elephant in the room...or is that a trojan ?

http://www.globalresearch.ca/japans-prime-minister-abe-forges-ties-with-india-to-counter-china/5497057

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Good luck lah. In E & SE Asia, most ASEAN (and non ASEAN) states suck US cock. They do not trust China.

BTW, the threat of widespread war is vastly diminished nowadays. Combat waged nowadays is commonly some existing govt vs ad-hoc non-state para-military made up of "rebels" and "guns-for-hire"/"sellswords" what used to be known as mercenaries.

Ref: The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined

Anonymous said...

The world's most powerful empire cannot defeat a rag tag army of desert rats made up of untrained volunteers.

What a joke. The American myth is crumbling.