Tianjin’s SCO Summit To Call For Enhancing Multilateralism, Boost Ties With ASEAN
By Voon Miaw Ping
TIANJIN (China), Aug 31 (Bernama) -- The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, which kicked off today, is expected to see member states continue to prioritise cohesion in their efforts to deepen economic and security cooperation.
Taking place against a backdrop of global political and economic uncertainty, analysts said the summit will prioritise strengthening multilateral coordination and foster closer strategic ties with key regional players, including ASEAN.
Jawaharlal Nehru University Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies associate professor Dr Rahul Mishra said the unpredictable foreign policy of the United States (US) and the tariffs it imposed have increased the urgency for SCO members to coordinate their economic and foreign policies more closely.
“Members, including China, India, and Russia, have high hopes for the Tianjin SCO Summit. This would lead them, among others, to deliberate on greater foreign and economic policy coordination and cohesion, while also providing an opportunity to hammer out a collective response to emerging uncertainties on how to deal with an unpredictable Trump administration.
“There may also be a discussion on ‘de-dollarisation’ and efforts to reduce excessive dependence on the US,” he told Bernama from India.
Meanwhile, Universiti Malaya International and Strategic Affairs senior lecturer Dr Lam Choong Wah said that China, as the current chair and the most significant driver of the SCO, is expected to lead the organisation in advancing cooperation in economic, sustainable development, and renewable energy projects under its Belt and Road Initiative.
While major powers such as China, Russia and India are expected to deliberate on economic and security coordination, they noted that ASEAN’s high-level involvement, represented by ASEAN Chair and Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, could mark the beginning of a new chapter in inter-regional cooperation.
SCO and ASEAN — An Emerging Synergy
This year’s event marks the first time a sitting ASEAN Chair is attending the SCO Summit since the formal relationship between the two groupings was established in 2001, signifying ASEAN’s growing relevance in global diplomacy.
ASEAN’s relations with the SCO have so far been seen as underdeveloped, with engagements largely remaining at the Secretariat-to-Secretariat level since a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between them in 2005.
“The presence of Anwar, in his capacity as the current ASEAN Chair, signifies an elevation of relations between SCO and ASEAN,” Lam told Bernama.
He added that including ASEAN Chairs in future summits should become a norm to foster stronger cooperation between the two sides.
Collectively, ASEAN and the SCO represent a substantial demographic and economic force, accounting for over 4.1 billion people and more than US$30 trillion (US$1 = RM4.22) in combined nominal GDP, which translates to 50 per cent of the global population and 27 per cent of the global GDP.
Anwar’s trip to China includes attending the Victory Day Parade in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, on Sept 3, commemorating 80 years since the end of the Second World War.
The prime minister is also scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Chinese President Xi Jinping, followed by a special dinner reception hosted by Premier Li Qiang at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.
Meanwhile, Rahul opined that ASEAN under Malaysia’s 2025 Chairmanship must take initiatives to engage the SCO and focus on mutual cooperation and potential benefits.
“The SCO Plus is indeed a timely and potent idea that can bring greater synergies between Malaysia and SCO member states,” he said.
Rahul added that greater ASEAN-SCO engagements should begin with the Foreign Ministers’ meeting as a low-hanging fruit to accrue greater benefits.
“Cooperation on combating terrorism, narcotics and illegal trade has been one of the priority areas for the SCO.
“The two regional organisations can work together on that front. Additionally, ASEAN and SCO should also consider aligning their trade and investment priority areas,” he added.
Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, has been invited to attend and deliver remarks at the SCO Plus Summit on Sept 1, where he is expected to share Malaysia’s perspectives on pertinent regional and international issues.
This engagement is set to reinforce Malaysia’s commitment to regional peace, neutrality, and stability within a broader multilateral framework.
Malaysia’s Strengthening Strategic Engagement
Rahul said that the SCO Plus is a timely and potent idea that can bring greater synergies between Malaysia and the SCO member states.
“Malaysia already has cordial and mutually beneficial relationships with China, India, and Russia. Reaching out to other SCO members would greatly benefit Malaysia in its regional outreach and economic engagement efforts,” he said.
Lam concurred, stating that Anwar’s participation at the SCO Plus meeting underscores Malaysia’s growing role in multilateral forums.
He added that, unlike in the past, when Malaysia felt excluded from Western-led decision-making, its attendance at the summit this time shows the country is now being treated as an equal partner at a significant global forum.
The two-day summit, a yearly event, is the largest since the organisation’s inception, gathering more than 20 world leaders and international organisations to chart the organisation’s multi-dimensional cooperation and development over the next decade.
The summit is held in Tianjin, one of China’s largest cities, which is also a major coastal port city and the largest industrial base in northern China.
Founded in Shanghai in 2001, the SCO is today comprised of 10 member states — China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, India, Iran, and Belarus.
While China, India, and Russia are ASEAN dialogue partners, Cambodia and Myanmar are currently the only ASEAN member states to have been granted dialogue partner status with the SCO.
-- BERNAMA