THE SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANIZATION: NAVIGATING BETWEEN "HEGEMONIC" AND "NEW" REGIONALISM IN MODERN GEOPOLITICS

Abstract

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has a unique history that sets it apart from other international organizations. It began in the late 1990s as the "Shanghai Five," a confidence-building group involving China and four post-Soviet countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. By 2001, this group evolved into a full-fledged multilateral organization, with Uzbekistan joining as the sixth founding member, despite not being part of the original "Shanghai Five" due to its lack of common borders with China.

The SCO operated with these six members until 2017, when a new chapter began. India and Pakistan, after lengthy discussions, were admitted as full members. This expansion significantly altered the nature of the organization. Originally envisioned by China and Russia as a way to foster a new type of regionalism in Central Asia, free from external rivalries, the inclusion of India and Pakistan has brought about substantial changes, reflecting the SCO's ability to adapt to the evolving geopolitical landscape.