The 25th SCO summit in Tianjin challenged U.S. unilateralism, with China and Russia pushing multipolarity, economic cooperation, and anti-terrorism efforts, offering developing nations an alternative to Donald Trump’s tariff-driven policies.
The post-SCO world is trying to save countries from initiatives taken by US President Donald Trump. Dr. Tehmina Aslam Ranjha September 15, 2025Newspaper, Opinions, Columns This time, held from 31 August to 1 September in Tianjin, China, the 25th Heads of State Council meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) caught the world’s attention. The summit was attended by 10 member states, along with 16 observer or dialogue partner countries. Heads of 10 international organisations were also in attendance.
As a joint venture of Russia and China, the SCO was created in 2001 to meet the challenge of terrorism engulfing Central Asia, though other objectives such as mutual trade, energy sharing and infrastructure development were also prime concerns. This time, however, the SCO donned a thick coating of politics, underneath which simmered economic grievances ignited by the trade tariff policy expounded by the United States (US).
On the occasion, the Chinese President Xi Jinping demanded the “equal and orderly multi-polarisation” of the world. He condemned the attitude of bypassing the world’s central organisation, the United Nations (UN). He dismissed unilateralism and its associate, hegemonism. He reinforced the concept of multilateralism, declaring it a fait accompli. Jinping basically said that the world was fraught with inequality and disorder, hampering multi-polarity. For the smooth running of the world, not only multi-polarity was necessary but also equality and order. This was the first time a voice was raised to represent the countries which were claimants of economic contribution to the development of the world. By saying so, Jinping refused to accept the world order being imposed by the US. Instead, he demanded his own vision be added to it. Through his speech, he invited attention to the fact that it was not only the US economy which should be taken seriously; economies of other countries also needed attention. Further, the war-mongering attitude should be shunned to let the world progress and prosper in peace.
Islamabad court directs FIA to proceed on petition against Arif Alvi Rejecting confrontation, Jinping offered an alternative vision embedded in cooperation. He announced the undertaking of a Global Governance Initiative which would offer more voice to developing countries of the world in light of international law – instead of leaving the world at the mercy of one country. His concern for developing countries gathered appreciation, as he announced the establishment of an SCO development bank which would offer loans for development projects carried out in member countries. This was how the SCO entered the phase of economic governance, which would be available initially for member countries, and which would attract more countries to join the SCO. The vision is that the bank would not try to manipulate member countries politically.
In his speech, Jinping also alleged that “some countries resort to bullying other countries.” By saying so, he referred to trade tariffs being imposed by the US on other countries including Russia and China. In a way, the threat of bullying other countries has brought both Russia and China closer to each other than before, making them realise that their co-existence is dependent on propping up each other in any hour of politico-economic crisis, which is otherwise brewing, as Central and Western Europe is fast withdrawing its option to buy Russian gas, making Russia dependent on China to sell natural gas and earn money. Without mincing words, Jinping dismissed the bullying policy of the US which used to make its demands accepted to manipulate the world politically.
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Currently, Pakistan is afflicted with the menace of terrorism, the waves of which are coming from Afghanistan. A few days ago, the terrorist attack on the Headquarters of the Frontier Constabulary in Bannu (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) launched by militants of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan speaks volumes about the kind of challenge Pakistan has been facing. Similarly, in Balochistan, militant activities of the Balochistan Liberation Army and its associated Majeed Brigade are known to all. The SCO declaration condemned the terrorist attack on the Jaffer Express, which Pakistan alleged to have been supported by India. That is, Pakistan is a victim and not a facilitator of terrorism.
KP government introducing school improvement plans: Faisal Tarkai The SCO summit was not alone in generating a new dimension of the world order. The summit was followed by a military parade in Beijing on 3 September to memorialise the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in the Second World War. On the occasion, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un flanked Jinping to express a show of solidarity against all odds. The occasion was projected as both a show of strength (by showcasing military hardware) and a show of unity (by showcasing Russia and North Korea standing by China). Some commentators consider it a display of solidarity put across by the Global South.
The post-SCO world is trying to save countries from initiatives taken by US President Donald Trump, who upended trade relations by imposing trade tariffs in an effort to protect the local economy. This is considered a selfish approach, as the whole international monetary system is integrated. The tariff policy is tantamount to disintegrating the system and re-establishing a new system abruptly. Abruptness imposed through coercion is a source of undoing economies of other countries. It is as if the world has to pay the cost of the US’s past decisions to enter into war arenas and raise expenditures on military hardware. That is, the US had to weigh the cost of its adventures and should bear the price of consequent mishaps, instead of palming it off to its trade partners.
Dr. Tehmina Aslam Ranjha The writer is an analyst on National Security and Counter-Terrorism. She tweets @TA_Ranjha and can be reached at taranjha1@gmail.com
1 Comment
I do agree with all the ideas you have presented in your post. They are very convincing and will certainly work. Still, the posts are too short for starters. Could you please extend them a little from next time? Thanks for the post.