BEIJING, July 15. /TASS/. The comprehensive strategic China-Russia partnership provides favorable foreign policy conditions for both countries’ development and aligns with Global South countries’ aspirations, Director of the Eurasian Social Development Research at the Development Research Center of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, Li Yongquan, stated.
"China-Russia partnership does not form an exclusive bloc, but rather aims to jointly uphold peace and development while creating a favorable external environment for both countries," the Global Times newspaper quoted Li Yongquan, who commented on the significance of the Meeting of the Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) that was held in Tianjin (Northern China) on Tuesday.
As Li Yongquan noted, this organization, where China and Russia actively cooperate, enjoys widespread popularity due to its "Shanghai Spirit," which "serves as its core philosophy." According to the expert, in the current international landscape, the SCO embodies the aspirations of the vast majority of developing countries and the Global South, "presenting a stark contrast between two systems of international relations and world orders."
The expert pointed out that attempts by some Western media to portray the SCO as a "counterweight to US-led institutions," do not correspond with reality. According to him, such views stem from Cold War thinking. The institute director emphasized that this narrative "fundamentally contradicts the 'Shanghai Spirit' and the SCO's principles, whose members strive for equal and mutually beneficial relations, respect national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and civilizational diversity of all states."
Li Yongquan also highlighted the unacceptability of the attempts to hype up the divisions among SCO members including the contradictions in Pakistan-India relations. He noted that these tensions, "which are largely historical issues," cannot diminish the SCO's importance.
"On the contrary, the organization provides an excellent platform and communication mechanism for maintaining communication to manage differences and prevent them from escalating. It plays a positive role in addressing disputes among its member states," the expert concluded.