Sustainable development is new growth driver: SCO book

The China Institute of International Studies and the China Shanghai Cooperation Organization Research Center released a publication entitled Sustainable Development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization: Building a Better Homeland Together in Beijing on Thursday.

The SCO Blue Book is the first in the China Institute of International Studies' country and regional studies series, and is also the seventh blue book issued by the China SCO Research Center.

According to the Blue Book, in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the SCO has delivered tangible results in areas including poverty reduction, education, green development, the digital economy, connectivity, vocational training, cross-border e-commerce and energy cooperation, providing strong impetus for development across the region.

A key highlight of the Blue Book is the participation of prominent scholars from countries such as Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. Their contributions offer diverse perspectives on the priorities and expectations of different member states regarding sustainable development cooperation, making its an important window into how the international community view the SCO's future role.

Li Ziguo, secretary-general of the China SCO Research Center and director of the Department for Eurasian Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, noted that the SCO is currently facing a complex external environment marked by growing global disorder and frequent regional tensions. At the same time, the rise of emerging powers and the rapid advancement of digital technologies and artificial intelligence are playing an increasingly important role in the global landscape.