The Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit and Chinese Influence
(Translated)

Al-Rayah Newspaper - Issue 565 - 17/09/2025 CE
By: Ustadh Mumtaz Ma Wara’ al-Nahri

From August 31 to September 1, more than twenty leaders gathered in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin to attend the periodic summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The organization consists of ten full members, in addition to two observer states and fourteen partner states.

During the summit, it became clear that Russia’s stance within the organization previously showing “two heads” had weakened, while China’s influence had grown significantly. At the conclusion of the summit, the Tianjin Declaration was adopted, which recognized the right of states to monitor the internet within their territories, expanded cooperation in combating drug trafficking, and agreed on the establishment of a unified bank for the organization.

After the summit, on September 3, a military parade was held in Tiananmen Square in central Beijing, with the participation of the same leaders, commemorating the end of World War II. U.S. President Trump described this event as a conspiracy directed against his country.

As is known, the SCO has taken upon itself the task of confronting four main challenges: terrorism, extremism, separatism, and drug trafficking, in order to achieve stability and security. However, in reality, it is Muslims who bear the brunt of these confrontations. The organization fights Islam, Islamic groups, and Muslims under the cover of “combating terrorism and extremism,” seeking to obstruct the Ummah’s efforts to establish the Khilafah (Caliphate). Likewise, Muslims are blameworthy under the pretext of “combating separatism,” so Muslims in the Caucasus within Russia, and the Uyghurs in China, have become victims of this pretext for criminalizing.

Regarding China:

China was one of the main initiators of establishing the SCO in 2001. Through it, China opened the door to its historic expansion into Central Asia. The continuous growth of China’s economy, compared to the decline of Russia’s international influence, gave Beijing the opportunity to implement major projects in the region.

Thus, the economic dimension of the organization which was initially directed toward regional security has grown stronger. This is confirmed by the fact that China’s initiative, proposed years ago to establish a development bank for the organization, received support at the September 1 summit.

The member states confirmed the importance of establishing the development bank, deciding to organize its work, provide everything necessary to finance its activities, and ensure its operation. In addition, China intends to implement one hundred small projects for the benefit of member states in need, within the framework of the organization. For this purpose, China will grant about 2 billion yuan, approximately $280 million, this year as aid, in addition to offering 10 billion yuan in loans.

President Xi Jinping did not stop there; in his speech at the summit, he launched remarks directed against “unilateral hegemony” and “Cold War mentality,” clearly targeting the United States.

Moreover, the Belt and Road Initiative has begun opening new corridors to strengthen transport links. For example, construction of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway has begun, and an additional border crossing named Bedel between Kyrgyzstan and China is being opened. From this, it is evident that the SCO has become a tool in China’s hands to push its economic expansion into Central Asia, and then into South Asia.

Regarding Russia:

Russia is also one of the founding members of the organization, with its main goal being to prevent the spread of Western influence in Central Asia. However, the decline of the Russian economy and its international standing has opened the way for China’s growing influence in the region. Initially, Russia opposed, albeit indirectly, the strengthening of economic cooperation within the SCO, fearing China’s economic dominance in Central Asia, but the war in Ukraine forced it to retreat from this stance.

Today, Russia supports China’s position on the international stage. This is evident in President Putin’s statement endorsing President Xi Jinping’s initiative on global governance, saying, “We listened carefully to Mr. Xi Jinping’s proposals on building a new, effective, and practical system of global governance. This initiative is of great importance in the current circumstances, where some countries still seek to impose their hegemony in international relations. Russia supports President Xi Jinping’s initiative, and we are interested in discussing the proposals put forward by our Chinese friends.” (Sputnik, 1/9/2025). Thus, the decline of Russia’s role within the SCO is indisputable.

Regarding India:

At first glance, it may appear that U.S. tariffs on India pushed it toward cooperation with the East. In addition, U.S. President Trump urged India to limit its purchases of Russian oil. While Russia’s share of India’s oil imports did not exceed 1% until 2022, it has now risen to 42%.

In reality, however, despite talk of partnership between India and China, the rivalry between them is evident. The main reason is that India follows a policy aligned with the West. The India–Middle East–Europe Corridor project was launched as a rival alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. At the same time, major American companies have begun relocating their industrial production from China to India.

One example of India’s contradictory stances within the SCO is its refusal to join the statement issued by defense ministers in June, which condemned the attacks of the Jewish entity against Iran. India justified its stance by pointing out that the statement ignored the bloody events that occurred on April 22 with Pakistan. Thus, India’s stance deepens contradictions and conflicts within the organization.

Regarding Central Asia:

It can be said that the Central Asian states participate in this organization out of necessity, since their main trade relations are tied to China and Russia, while at the same time they remain under the influence of Russia as the heir of the Soviet Union. The SCO has helped strengthen these states’ relations with China.

Nevertheless, these states attempt to pursue multi-directional policies. In Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in particular, massive Western investments prevent them from adopting an openly anti-Western foreign stance. Kyrgyzstan, however, stands somewhat apart, as it seeks to strengthen its ties with China and obtain loans and aid from it, and therefore adopts an anti-Western stance.

Furthermore, Kyrgyzstan has presented a series of proposals to develop the organization, particularly to strengthen China’s position within it. For instance, during the recent summit, it proposed creating new transport routes and making use of the transit potential of member states, which serves the Belt and Road Initiative. It also called for speeding up the establishment of an effective financial mechanism for the organization, including the creation of a development bank, a development fund, and an investment fund all of which would reinforce Chinese influence.

At the same time, in order to please Russia and win the support of its people, these states rushed to issue an anti-U.S. and anti-British statement.

Conclusion:

The SCO has gradually transformed into an organization that serves China’s economic and security interests, more than the original goals for which it was established. As for the issue of regional stability, it has remained nothing more than a slogan on paper. This is confirmed by the organization’s positions toward a number of military conflicts. For example, when armed conflict broke out between India and Pakistan, both SCO members, the organization did not take any action, not even issuing an official statement. Likewise, in the autumn of 2022, when a border conflict erupted between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan during the SCO summit in Samarkand, it was silent.

Thus, the SCO and similar organizations are nothing but colonialist traps set for Muslims. And Muslims will not escape these colonialist claws except by returning to their Islam. This is something well understood by the colonialist disbelievers and their agent rulers, and for that reason they wage war against us under the pretexts of combating “terrorism, extremism, and separatism.”