(ECNS) — Former Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Bolat Nurgaliyev has said the organization is demonstrating strong vitality and broad prospects for development while injecting positive energy into global governance.

In a recent interview with China News Service in Astana, Nurgaliyev, who served as secretary-general of the SCO from 2007 to 2009, stressed that in today's turbulent international environment, establishing an effective collective response mechanism on the basis of respect for sovereignty and core interests has become an urgent task for multilateral cooperation.

"The SCO adheres to the principle of win-win cooperation. Its model of equal and mutually beneficial collaboration has made important contributions to promoting socio-economic development and safeguarding regional stability," he said.

From six founding members to 26 countries today, the "SCO family" has steadily expanded. Nurgaliyev noted that the enlargement not only reflects the SCO's growing influence but also demonstrates that its cooperative approach is gaining wider international recognition.

He described the SCO as an important "stabilizer" for regional peace and cooperation, adding that against the backdrop of advancing global multilateralism, more countries are eager to join cooperation initiatives advocated and promoted by China.

Since its establishment in 2001, the SCO has upheld the "Shanghai Spirit" of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations, and pursuit of common development. Nurgaliyev said this principle remains highly relevant today.

"Guided by this spirit, member states have continued to strengthen unity and coordination, working together to promote a more just and reasonable international order," he said, noting that enriching the connotations of the "Shanghai Spirit" to meet the demands of the times will be key to the SCO's future development.

Nurgaliyev also highlighted that in recent years, cooperation among SCO members has extended from traditional areas of security and economic development to new fields such as climate change, ecological protection and public health. Regional connectivity has become another priority, covering infrastructure construction such as transport and ports as well as energy pipelines, fiber-optic communications and power grid interconnection.

Following the SCO Astana Summit in July 2024, China assumed the rotating chairmanship of the SCO for 2024–2025. "The rapid development of the SCO in political, economic and cultural fields cannot be achieved without China's active participation and support," he said, citing youth art exhibitions, joint archaeological projects and the promotion of intangible cultural heritage as examples of people-to-people exchanges.

As the upcoming Tianjin Summit draws global attention, Nurgaliyev expressed the hope that member states will reach a new consensus on strengthening solidarity and mutual trust, improving cooperation mechanisms, and advancing pragmatic collaboration. This, he said, will further enable the SCO to play a stabilizing role amid complex challenges and contribute to regional peace and global governance.

(By Evelyn)