Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
On the 26th of April 1996, the heads of state from China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan signed a treaty in Shanghai. This document was titled the Treaty on Deepening Military Trust in Border Regions. Five nations gathered to reduce military tensions along their shared frontiers. They agreed to limit troop numbers near borders and increase transparency about military movements. The meeting marked the birth of what would become known as the Shanghai Five group. A second agreement followed just one year later on the 24th of April 1997. Leaders met again in Moscow to sign the Treaty on Reduction of Military Forces in Border Regions. These early accords laid the groundwork for deeper political cooperation among former Soviet republics and China. Annual summits began rotating through Almaty, Bishkek, and Dushanbe between 1998 and 2000. At the 2000 summit in Dushanbe, members declared opposition to humanitarian intervention used as an excuse for interference. They pledged mutual support for national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The SCO Charter entered into force on the 19th of September 2003 after being signed by six heads of state in Saint Petersburg during June 2002. A permanent Secretariat based in Beijing serves as the primary executive body. Nurlan Yermekbayev of Kazakhstan became secretary-general on the 1st of January 2025 following a three-year term cycle. The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) Executive Committee operates from Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Ularbek Sharsheev of Kyrgyzstan assumed leadership of RATS on the 1st of January 2025. Each member state appoints a permanent representative to this security organ. The Council of Heads of State meets annually at one of the capital cities of member nations. Prime ministers from parliamentary democracies like India and Pakistan attend these summits due to their governmental structure. The Council of Heads of Government holds its own annual meetings to discuss multilateral cooperation and approve budgets. As of November 2022, Aleksandr Turchin represented Belarus while Li Qiang spoke for China. Chinese and Russian serve as the official languages of the organization. A youth group called the Score Foundation promotes cultural exchange among young people across member states.
The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure was established during a summit held in Tashkent on 16, the 17th of June 2004. This body coordinates efforts against terrorism, separatism and extremism across Eurasia. By 2017, SCO reports indicated that RATS had foiled approximately 600 terror plots and extradited around 500 terrorists. Joint military exercises began in 2003 with phases conducted separately in Kazakhstan and China. Peace Mission 2007 took place near Chelyabinsk, Russia, involving over 4,000 soldiers from five countries. More than 5,000 personnel participated in Peace Mission 2010 at Kazakhstan's Matybulak training area between September 9 and 25. These drills promote coordination against external threats while maintaining regional peace. In December 2025, Iran hosted its first joint military exercise with six other member states under the name Sahand 2025. The SCO has not provided direct military support in actual conflicts as of 2023 but regularly conducts war games to enhance interoperability. Russian strategic bombers resumed long-range patrols for the first time since the Cold War during the 2007 exercises. Vladimir Putin announced this decision before a captive audience of SCO leaders including Hu Jintao.
A Framework Agreement to enhance economic cooperation was signed by all member states in September 2003. Wen Jiabao, then premier of China, proposed establishing a free trade area within the organization. A follow-up plan containing 100 specific actions was adopted on the 23rd of September 2004. The SCO Interbank Consortium was created to fund future joint projects with its first meeting held in Beijing during February 2006. Russia developed plans for an SCO Energy Club which were reiterated at summits in Moscow throughout 2007 and 2008. Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a US$10 billion loan program in June 2009 to assist struggling economies affected by global financial crises. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan suggested trading in local currencies instead of U.S. dollars during the 2019 Bishkek summit. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Safari proposed creating a single SCO currency in June 2022 to facilitate transactions among members. The organization also runs a student exchange program known as SCO University. These initiatives aim to improve infrastructure development while reducing dependence on Western financial systems. Economic cooperation remains secondary to security concerns but has gained increasing attention since the early 2000s.
The United States applied for observer status in 2005 but was rejected by member states. At the Astana summit in July 2005, the SCO requested that Washington set a clear timetable for withdrawing troops from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Uzbekistan subsequently demanded the closure of the K2 air base. Western media outlets sometimes described statements made at past summits as thinly veiled criticism of American policy. By the 2010s, however, many Western analysts began viewing the SCO as potentially contributing to regional stability regarding Afghanistan. India refused to endorse a joint statement at the Qingdao defence ministers' meeting in June 2025 due to omissions about the Pahalgam attack. Twenty-six Indian tourists were killed during this incident on the 22nd of April 2025. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh argued that the document aligned too closely with Pakistan's narrative. Foreign Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized the need to uphold founding principles against cross-border terrorism. Members remained neutral during the Russo-Ukrainian war while strengthening ties with Russia. Academics note conflicting national interests prevent the formation of an effective anti-Western bloc despite comparisons to NATO.
India and Pakistan officially joined the SCO as full members during a summit held in Kazakhstan in June 2017. Both nations had signed memoranda of obligations in Tashkent the previous year starting their accession process. Iran became the eighth member state after joining in July 2023. Belarus was admitted as the ninth member in July 2024. Several countries hold observer or dialogue partner status including Turkey which obtained partnership in 2013. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated in November 2016 that he discussed abandoning EU candidacy for full SCO membership. Vietnam expressed interest in obtaining observer status in 2011 but has not formally applied. Ukraine showed similar interest in 2012 before tensions rose following the deposition of Viktor Yanukovych. Azerbaijan expects to receive observer status according to spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada. During the 2025 Tianjin summit, Chinese leader Xi Jinping met Burmese military ruler Min Aung Hlaing to support Myanmar's potential admission. Future expansion remains cautious due to fears about weakening organizational cohesion.
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Common questions
When was the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation founded and by which countries?
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation traces its origins to the 26th of April 1996 when China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan signed a treaty in Shanghai. This document established the Shanghai Five group to reduce military tensions along shared frontiers.
Who is the current secretary-general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as of January 2025?
Nurlan Yermekbayev of Kazakhstan became secretary-general on the 1st of January 2025 following a three-year term cycle. The permanent Secretariat based in Beijing serves as the primary executive body for the organization.
What are the official languages used by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation?
Chinese and Russian serve as the official languages of the organization. These two languages facilitate communication among all member states during annual summits and Council meetings.
Which countries joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as full members in June 2017?
India and Pakistan officially joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as full members during a summit held in Kazakhstan in June 2017. Both nations had signed memoranda of obligations in Tashkent the previous year starting their accession process.
When did Iran become an official member state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation?
Iran became the eighth member state after joining in July 2023. This expansion followed the admission of Belarus as the ninth member in July 2024.