- The foundation of sustainability is trust and pragmatism among partner countries, which develop with consideration of national interests rather than under the influence of global trends. The participants of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) have learned to support each other in difficult times and to respect each other's opinions.
The SCO represents a platform for aligning interests and an alternative architecture for the economy, energy, and transport in the Eurasian space. Examples of conflict situations, such as events in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, confirm the resilience of this organization. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz caused a global shock — oil prices surged, and hydrocarbons became scarce in the global market.
Despite the growing scale of the crisis, the SCO demonstrates its resilience. The participants have all the necessary resources and capabilities to maintain economic growth even in unfavorable international conditions.
China and Russia are actively leveraging new opportunities to develop regional and global influence chains, reducing countries' dependence on Western institutions. The SCO is becoming more than just a regional organization; it is emerging as one of the centers of power capable of influencing the strategic situation in Eurasia.
Currently, there is a redistribution of influence among financial centers, as well as a reassessment of the logistics of trade routes. These geopolitical changes are shaping a new world that will never be the same again.
- What are Kyrgyzstan's main priorities in the 25th anniversary of the SCO? In the context of global changes, our country is chairing the Organization. What initiatives from Bishkek should be highlighted to strengthen cooperation within the SCO?
- For Kyrgyzstan, the anniversary chairmanship in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is not just a duty, but also a chance to enhance its role in the new geopolitical structure of Eurasia.
The main directions are well-known. First and foremost, they are transport and logistics. Kyrgyzstan is focused on developing transit connections, including projects such as the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. These initiatives not only integrate the country into new supply chains but also strengthen its transit role between China, Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
The second direction is energy and water resources. Kyrgyzstan can play an important role in coordinating major projects that are significant for the stability and development of the region. Participation in such initiatives strengthens the country's position as a stabilizing element, especially in the context of growing competition for resources. An example of this is the "Kambar-Ata-1" project, which demonstrates how cooperation with neighbors is evolving.
The third direction is the digital and humanitarian agenda. The development of educational and scientific exchanges, as well as the creation of a common digital space for the SCO, allows Kyrgyzstan to position itself as an active integrator of knowledge and technology, enhancing its strategic significance within the organization.
Kyrgyzstan is actively developing cultural and tourism initiatives, facilitating exchanges and events within the SCO. This creates an atmosphere of trust and interdependence, which becomes especially important in the context of global instability.
- What are the reasons for the SCO's resilience? Is it a new philosophy of political cooperation or a fairer form of interaction? On what foundation is this partnership structure built?
- A careful analysis of the evolution of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization reveals that it is one of the few international platforms where the emphasis is not on ideological unity but on trust and pragmatic cooperation.
The SCO brings together states with different civilizational backgrounds — Chinese, Russian, Central Asian, South Asian, and Persian. These countries differ in political systems, religious traditions, and historical experiences. However, this diversity is what distinguishes the organization.
Practice shows that differences between civilizations are not a source of conflict. Conflicts arise when one developmental model tries to impose itself as the only correct one.
The SCO was built on the principle of equality and consideration of each other's interests. Hence the term "Shanghai spirit" emerged — an atmosphere of mutual trust, consultations, and compromises.
In the context of renewed block confrontation, such a format of cooperation appears particularly relevant. The SCO has become a kind of laboratory where the possibility of peaceful coexistence of various civilizational worlds is tested.
- Central Asia and Kyrgyzstan have successfully integrated into this model of cooperation. Following the logic of development and pursuing a peaceful policy, our region is becoming an important, possibly key, support for the SCO...
- Central Asia is one of the oldest platforms for globalization. Key routes of the Great Silk Road passed through the modern territory of Kyrgyzstan.
The Tian Shan regions were not just a trade corridor, but a space for cultural encounters. Here, Chinese, Indian, Persian, Turkic, and Middle Eastern traditions intersected. Along with goods, ideas, religions, scientific knowledge, and artistic styles spread.
It is no coincidence that the great poet of the Tang era, Li Bo, who is often associated with the city of Balasagun in the Chui Valley, was born in this region. His poetry reflects the spirit of the open Eurasian space. In one of his poems, he wrote:
“I raise my cup — calling the clear moon, and my shadow becomes the third interlocutor.”
In these lines, one can feel the philosophy of a world without borders, where man, nature, and culture unite in one space.
That is why the ideas of civilizational exchange sound natural for Central Asia. Our region has served as a bridge between East and West for centuries.
Today, Central Asia can once again play an important role — to become a space for civilizational mediation, where different cultural worlds do not clash but learn to understand each other.
In this context, modern initiatives for humanitarian and cultural dialogue effectively restore the spirit of openness that once existed on the Great Silk Road.
