On Thursday, a landmark new blue book focused on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was officially unveiled in Beijing, framing sustainable development as a powerful new engine for inclusive growth across the member bloc. The publication, *Sustainable Development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization: Building a Better Homeland Together*, was jointly released by the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS) and the China Shanghai Cooperation Organization Research Center.
This release marks two notable milestones for the research institutions: it is the first entry in CIIS’ new country and regional studies series, and it stands as the seventh blue book produced by the China SCO Research Center since the series launched.
Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the blue book documents that the SCO has delivered measurable, tangible progress across a wide range of sustainable development priority areas. These include poverty reduction, expanded access to education, green growth initiatives, digital economy expansion, cross-border infrastructure connectivity, vocational skills training, cross-border e-commerce development, and multilateral energy cooperation. According to the report, these collective achievements have injected robust, sustained momentum into economic and social development across the entire SCO region.
One of the most distinctive features of this year’s blue book is its inclusive authorial structure: it features contributions from leading scholars from across SCO and partner states, including Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan. These diverse input offer nuanced, varied perspectives on the unique priorities and expectations of different member states when it comes to advancing cross-bloc sustainable development cooperation. As a result, the publication serves as a critical, multi-vantage window into how the broader international community assesses the SCO’s evolving role in global and regional affairs going forward.
In opening remarks at the launch event, Li Ziguo, secretary-general of the China SCO Research Center and director of CIIS’ Department for Eurasian Studies, outlined the complex geopolitical context shaping the SCO’s current agenda. Li noted that the bloc operates today amid a turbulent external landscape, characterized by rising global instability and persistent, recurring regional tensions. At the same time, he emphasized that shifting global dynamics—including the growing influence of emerging economies and the rapid acceleration of digital transformation and artificial innovation—are reshaping the global order and creating new opportunities for cooperative progress.