Shanghai Cooperation Organization expands cooperation at Bishkek summit

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held a summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on September 1, signaling a shift toward more practical cooperation and institutional building. Now comprising 10 members—including recent additions Iran and Belarus—the organization approved the Bishkek Declaration and 27 other documents aimed at strengthening security, countering terrorism, and enhancing logistics and transport lines.

Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed several initiatives to deepen integration, including an international center for artificial intelligence applications, a China-SCO port-economy cooperation center in Tianjin, and 100 joint technology projects over the next three years. The summit also included amendments to the SCO Charter and established new regulations for security and anti-drug bodies.

While the SCO is expanding its reach in energy, the digital economy, and science, some observers note that the security focus on combating “terrorism, separatism, and extremism” may serve to increase Chinese influence over Central Asian states. Critics suggest these security frameworks could facilitate deeper dependence on Chinese capital and standards, while providing a pretext for surveillance and intelligence exchange regarding Turkic Muslim populations.