Thread by @GorwayGlobal

#SCOSummit2022 #SCO the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation compises 9 member countries. India and Pakistan joined up finally in 2017, and Iran might be admitted in 2022.

Between them they account for much of the world's contradictions. economist.com/the-economist-…

Russia looks to it because it is a pariah elsewhere. China as the World's Number 2 power in terms of econ and military might comes to it wielding the biggest clout. India and Pakistan admitted together in 2017 have been and are at loggerheads for as long as theyve been UN Members

India and China have just reached some sort of a pull-back-from-the-brink accord that leaves India shortchanged; they daren't admit it publicly. Russia and China have all but signed a mutual self-defence pact though Russia needs China more than China needs Russia.

Meanwhile, the only think China and Russia have in common is the unfriendliness of America. The US is supplying arms Ukraine to fight Russian invaders there, and supports Taiwan against any possible Chinese invasion.

America also stands by India but not explcitly against Chinese incursions in the Himalayan region. Outsie the SCO, India looks to #AUKUS and #QUAD to contain China.

The host country for #SCOSummit2022 is 95% Muslim but says nothing about either China's persecution of Uighurs or India's officially denied not-such-explicit-persecution of it's Muslims.

So with all this complex and contradictory background what the hell is the #SCO for? The only think I can think of is
a) its not western dominated
b) it provides a great Photo-Opportunity to publicity hungry authoritarian leaders to come together and strut about.

Oh and I forgot,
"In 2021, meanwhile, more than 50 people were killed in clashes on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan." acc to this nice essay in @TheEconomist
economist.com/the-economist-…