2018年CRI SCO contributes to the Economic Cooperation and Trade in Asia

 

Economic cooperation has become one of the major components¹ of Shanghai Cooperation Organization system, with observers suggesting significant headway has been made in economic and trade cooperation among SCO countries in the 17 years since the group's founding.

CRI's Liu Min has more.

Stats from China's Ministry² of Commerce shows total trade volume among Shanghai Cooperation Organization member countries rose to $217.6 billion US dollars in 2017, a 19 percent surge from the previous year.

By comparison, trade volume among China and SCO member states only stood at 12.1 billion US dollars in 2001.

From 2013 to 2017, China has imported products from other SCO member countries worth more than 340 billion US dollars.

Liu Ying, a professor leading research into the Belt and Road Initiative from Renmin University says the development of economic cooperation and trade among SCO member states is promising³.

"The trading volume among SCO member states has seen steady growth during the past a few years. China is working closely with other SCO countries. For example, India has already become a very important trade partner with China after its entry into the SCO. Trade between China and Russia and the four Central Asian countries, and trade among SCO member states have all seen steady progress. The SCO member states have become very important trading partners to one and another."

Development of the SCO has also created signficiant investment and contract opportunties for Chinese cmopanies.

Total investment among the various SCO member states has reached approximately $84 billion US dollars, including numerous large-scale energy, mineral and industrial projects.

In the Central Asian region, the China-Kyrgystan-Uzbekistan road, the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline⁴ and the construction of the China-Kazakhstan and China-Russia crude oil pipelines⁵ have been completed.

Beyond oil and gas, other infrastructure⁶ construction is also underway, including roads and railways, strengthening ties among member states.

Zhou Rong, a professor of Central Asian Studies with the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University, says its investment like this which has helped maintain stablity in central Asia.

"The SCO has been able to help secure regional stability and security. Central Asia has become one of the the most stable regions in the world. This is also the contribution by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Stability itself has provided a solid foundation for SCO countries. And then interconnectivity becomes possible for economic cooperation and trade."

This year's SCO Summit in Qingdao Summit will be the first time all eight state leaders from the full SCO member countries will sit down together.

Among them will be Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Professor Swaran Singh with Jawaharlal University suggests India should take advantage of its new position within the SCO.

"In the last year, China has held 120 meetings under Shanghai Organization Cooperation. So it is also seen as the most successful organization. Therefore, India is very fortunate to be part of the Shanghai Organization Cooperation and wants to contribute as much as it can in this very successful and largest organization."

Observers have suggested the inclusion on India and Pakistan as full SCO members is going to help promote economic integration⁷, as well as help maintain regional security and stability.

For CRI, I'm Liu Min.

1 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

4 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

5 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。

6 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

7 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。