Henry Huiyao Wang:

I think this is a very significant gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), probably the largest ever held since its founding 20-some years ago. This time is quite unique: you have not only the traditional members, but also Prime Minister Modi, who has joined us. This event represents a multipolar world, and I am sure the SCO certainly represents one strong pole there.

What is also interesting is the inclusivity of this gathering. It’s not just divided by ideological lines or models of governance; it includes a variety of members with different governing models from different countries. This symbolises a new form of inclusiveness and openness.

While we have trade protectionism, high tariffs, and unilateralism, the SCO is more focused on economic cooperation. For example, this time, they are going to set up an agricultural collaboration platform; they are going to set up an environmental protection platform. And China is taking the initiative on that, and it is also digitally strong.

So, I think SCO will usher in a new form of international organisation that not only focuses on security but also on the economy, on development, and on a friendly and peaceful neighbourhood that everybody enjoys.

We have the two heads of Pakistan and India for the first time coming to the same table. Also, we have Armenia and Azerbaijan coming at the same time. And China and India, for the first time, are getting together in the last seven years. All those represent a good trend to seek peace, development, prosperity, and security for the SCO, for the continent, and for the rest of the world as well.

Emily Tan:

President Xi saying that the world is in a period of turmoil and change, that we should seek common ground. SCO members are all friends and partners, and that member states should respect differences, respect differences, maintain strategic communications, build consensus to strengthen solidarity, and SCO member states should pursue mutual benefits, need to better align development strategies to promote the Belt and Road and to promote the BRI initiative. He also says that they should leverage strength of markets and improve trade.

And on the issue of trade, I’m curious to know what your thoughts are with his meeting yesterday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He’s called the countries good neighbours and a key part of the Global South. He has reintroduced to India strategic rare earth exports. Now this is very significant and strategically significant because this is something that the United States has been arguing and discussing with China about its rare earth exports to fund the military and electric vehicles. I want to get your take on this development, that China has now released its exports of strategic minerals to India.

Henry Huiyao Wang:

Absolutely. That’s right. This SCO event showcases the economic potential—we have so many countries and great economies in the region. For example, China and India have 2.8 billion people. China is the second-largest economy, and India is soon to be the third-largest economy. If they actually find a way to collaborate, that’s going to mean enormous for the continent, for Asia, and for the region. So, I think the fact that China and India get together and that they are all upholding trade and also relaxing on the tariffs is really great progress.

I’m sure China has greatly relaxed rare earth exports for India because both leaders of China and India have stated that we are not rivals; we are partners, we are collaborators. This rivalry really contaminates the world. We should not put every country as a rival; we should really seek peace, seek compromise, and seek cooperation.

So, I think this China-India thing, even though we have a border issue, both leaders said we have a much larger picture and much larger interests than the borders. So let’s neglect those minor issues, let’s focus on the major issue. The 2.8 billion people, the whole continent, and the whole world are more important. Let’s set a good example of good trade, good partnership. While President Trump raises tariffs on 100 countries, China gives 53 developing countries zero tariffs for goods coming to China. So, I think it is really great that China took the initiative to elaborate on collaboration on the economic front.

Also, I think that with the China-India get-together, hopefully, India and Pakistan will get along, and let’s all make peace. President Trump is trying to make a lot of peace, but I think with the help of China, maybe we could do the same, too. Furthermore, China could take advantage of its good relations with Russia to help broker the deal for the Russian war on Ukraine. There are a lot of things that can be done. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, or its members like China and India, could be an extra guarantor of security in the Ukraine-Russian war.

So, I think there’s there’s a lot of things that can be done through this new platform and, of course, through this great economic promotion from which all member countries are going to benefit.

Plus, SCO is also promoting development zones. The Belt and Road is another good example; all those are Belt and Road member countries. That is economic globalisation. We focus too much on security, militarisation, or NATO. Let’s do more on the economic front—the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Belt and Road, AIIB, RCEP, and all the rest. Let’s do that economically.

Note: The above text is the output of transcribing from an audio recording. It is posted as a reference for the discussion.