Discussion Papers in Diplomacy No 118: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization and China's New Diplomacy

This paper offers a Chinese perspective of the elements and approaches of what is often called China's 'New Diplomacy' and argues that China's involvement in the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) can be regarded as an exemplary case of 'China's New Diplomacy.' The article furthermore aims to contribute to the understanding of China's emerging role in the international multilateral arena.

The concepts that together form China's New Diplomacy, such as the New Security Concept, the New Development Approach, and the Harmonious World, have not only been brought into practice in China's diplomacy towards the SCO but have also been adopted as principles for conducting diplomacy within the SCO. The SCO?and its predecessor, the Shanghai Five mechanism?started as a low profile organization which focused on building trust and solving security issues but has gradually grown into a serious regional organization which aims at mutually beneficial cooperation in the fields of politics, security, the economy, trade and energy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The author, Gao Fei, is an Associate Professor at China Foreign Affairs University and Vice Secretary General of the China National Association for International Studies (CNAIS). He is an expert on Contemporary Chinese Diplomacy and Russian Affairs.