Interview: SCO plays unique role in advancing multilateralism, says Kazakh expert

A drone photo taken on Aug. 22, 2025 shows a light show in celebration of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 on the square behind the Tianjin Railway Station in north China's Tianjin. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

In recent years, the SCO's practical measures have demonstrated how equitable and multilateral cooperation can serve as an effective tool for conflict prevention, collective security and sustainable development, said a Kazakh expert.

ALMATY, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) plays a vital role in promoting multilateralism in a changing international landscape marked by rising protectionism and unilateralism, a Kazakh expert has said.

The Tianjin Declaration issued at the 2025 SCO Summit reflects member states' clear rejection of coercive measures in international relations and of confrontational mindsets in addressing global hotspot issues, said Gulnar Shaimergenova, director of the China Studies Center in Astana, in an interview with Xinhua.

The SCO instead advances a cooperation model in which all states, regardless of economic or military strength, have an equal voice, with decisions taken by consensus and based on respect for sovereignty, said the expert.

The Declaration underlines SCO members' commitment to maintaining regional security and stability, as well as promoting sustainable development, she noted.

It also opposes interference in internal affairs of member states, reiterating the SCO members' support for the UN Charter's purposes and principles, Shaimergenova said.

In recent years, the SCO's practical measures have demonstrated how equitable and multilateral cooperation can serve as an effective tool for conflict prevention, collective security and sustainable development, said the expert.

Shaimergenova believes that multilateral approaches under the SCO framework help maintain a balanced alignment of interests and provide a viable model for addressing global divisions.

The SCO "supports fair trade rules and advances joint humanitarian, educational and innovation programs, all of which build trust and promote integration for the benefit of the many, not the few," she said.