SCO vs G7

Dr. Jassim Taqui

DG Al-Bab Institute for Strategic Studies

Islamabad, September 17, 2021:  State-run Chinese newspapers on Monday boasted about a weekend meeting of a regional security bloc hosted by China, painting it as a harmonious, anti-protectionist the counterpoint to the G7 summit in Canada that was marred by acrimony. “The key lies in that the Shanghai Spirit, featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for cultural diversity and pursuit of common development, echoes the theme of the era, in which unilateralism can hardly prevail,” it said. 

It said criticism of the G7 meeting and praise for the SCO summit marked “an important change”.

In the Canadian province of Quebec at the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump threw the G7’s efforts to show a united front into disorder by leaving early, backing out of a joint communique, and taking aim at Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The SCO meeting in China at the same time, meanwhile, set what the China Daily newspaper said was a good example for a multilateral cooperation, offering a “new vision” for a more just and equitable world.

Pakistan raised the issue of Afghanistan at SCO, demanding that it should not be abandoned while the foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi stated that improving Pak ties with Russia was a ”priority”. This is aimed at ensuring that the Russian President Vladimir Putin should use his influence on India in taking a pro-Taliban stance. Thus, Pakistan is starting its maiden attempt to remodel the image of the Taliban.