SCO urged to resist 'law of the jungle'

Chinese foreign minister warns regional grouping of threat from power politics

The United States is becoming the "biggest destroyer" of the international order, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization should work to ensure that power politics doesn't drag the world back to "the law of the jungle", Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday in Moscow.

Wang made the remarks at a meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers.

Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, Wang said that countries have reached the consensus that the international system with the UN at its core and the international order with international law as its basis should be preserved.

Adhering to multilateralism has become a foundation of national self-reliance, especially for many small and medium-sized countries in the international community, Wang added.

Regrettably, as a superpower, the US stubbornly sticks to the "America First" policy, practicing unilateralism, repeatedly withdrawing from international organizations and treaties, he said, adding that the United States abandons its due international obligations and seeks its own benefits at the cost of other countries' rightful interests.

Wang said that the SCO should invariably stand with multilateralism, fairness and justice, and move in the direction of history.

The grouping should firmly defend the core position of the UN, protect the authority of international law, prevent power politics from dragging the world back to "the law of the jungle", and resist unilateral bullying that hinders the democratization of international relations, he added.

Wang said China stands ready to coordinate closely with its partners to guide the SCO toward dealing with risks and challenges in a more effective manner.

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the world profoundly, the global economy is suffering unprecedented recession, unilateral bullying is intensifying, and global governance is in deep waters, Wang said.

Meanwhile, it should be noted that peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit remain the irreversible trend of the times, that coordination among countries in fighting the pandemic shows the great strength of multilateralism, and that building a community with a shared future for mankind has become the firm choice of more and more countries, he said.

Common challenge

At the meeting, Wang made some suggestions on strengthening cooperation within the framework of the SCO.

Member states should firmly support each other and safeguard their core interests. Foreign forces have never stopped interfering in the internal affairs of SCO member states, and resisting foreign interference is a common challenge for all members, Wang said.

The grouping's members should persist in unity and cooperation to jointly defeat COVID-19, Wang said, adding that China is willing to deepen cooperation with all parties in the fight against the virus, continue to promote the establishment of joint prevention and control mechanisms in border areas, and prioritize the needs of SCO members after China successfully develops and puts into use vaccines.

SCO members should persist in sharing weal and woe to resolve various security risks, Wang said.

In addition, the SCO should adhere to coordinated development and boost the economic recovery of member states, Wang said.

China is establishing a new development pattern featuring dual circulation, which takes the domestic market as the mainstay and allows the domestic and foreign markets to boost each other, Wang said, adding that China will open up the economy further and stands ready to share new business opportunities with partners.

The SCO should stick to multilateralism and improve global governance, Wang added.

Xinhua contributed to this story.