Hardline on secession in the name of anti-terror...

In China the public has welcomed the death sentences handed down to five Muslim Uighurs from Xinjiang region. The Uighurs are Indo-European people who comprised 90 per cent of Xinjiang when the People's Republic of China was established in 1949. Since then they have been reduced to a 45 per cent minority in a region now dominated by Han Chinese. The control is in the hands of the latter in a region rapidly growing economically. The ethnic links of this group to Turkmenistan and other Central Asian former Soviet republics and the rapid dissolution of the Soviet Union prompted the Uighurs to seek self-determination, not welcomed and quenched at every step by Beijing.

China's official story is that these groups set up terrorist camps as of August 2005 in attempts to achieve their goals. There were also official promulgations linking these groups with Al-Qaida. How true are these official proclamations? Is this intolerance towards minority groups? or is it a hardline stance on secession? As far as the global war on terror, China and Russia through their partnership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, reiterate their commitment in that regard at every meeting. This is because both Russia and China have large Muslim populations, either as neighbors or as minority groups within their respective territories. (for more on this see here, and here)

As to the death sentences, China is perhaps taking advantage of its remoteness to Europe... Russia did not have that luxury and abolished the death penalty against the widespread public support for it...

Balance of Powers and SCO

The summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan of the SCO on August 16, 2007 has been noted with much attention in the world. Washington is quite alarmed with prospects of the SCO turning into a military block to counter the NATO. The invitees to the summit, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan expressed their concerns with the 'war on terror' and the Missile Defense Shield plans of the US. The Bishkek declaration stressed certain points that directly reflect on the dissatisfaction with the US unilateral politics (here):

Modern challenges and threats can be effectively counteracted through concerted efforts of the international community on the basis of agreed principles and in the framework of multilateral mechanisms. Unilateral action cannot resolve the existing problems...
Cooperation in counteracting new challenges and threats must be conducted in a consistent manner, without resorting to double standards, in strict observance of norms of the international law...
The SCO member states advocate creation of a security structure on the basis of generally accepted norms of the international law that will:
- reflect the balance of interests of all subjects of international relations...
The SCO member states are determined to interact closely on tackling the issues of the UN reform. The reform of the pan global organisation, first and foremost its Security Council, must gain as much wider consensus of its members....

The Bishkek declaration speaks of UN reform, specifically the Security Council, propagates creation of a security system to counteract terrorism and promote vital interests of the parties, and rejects unilateralism. While Washington can understandably be concerned with some of this, this is perhaps creation of the balance of powers missing in the international arena since the end of the Cold War. The balance of powers can stabilize the world without going back to the era of the Cold War... The Defense shield plans of the US could in fact result in much destabilization because it would undercut deterrence. On the other hand, if the extremist Islamic states such as Iran, obtain nuclear weapons, it is quite possible that deterrence would not work, because the prerequisite to deterrence is nuclear weapons in the hands of 'rational actors'. Well, these types of summits show how much work needs to be done by the US to regain and strengthen its leadership-- only at this time, as a team member with the rest... Unfortunately, the ambitions of the SCO members may go too far ahead blocking the US from any efforts to play as a 'team member.'

Shanghai Cooperation Organization

On June 15, 2001 the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was created out of the Shanghai Five in existence since 1996-1997. Originally composed of Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, it was joined by Uzbekistan at the 2001 Summit. The Shanghai Convention was signed and SCO became one of the most prominent regional organizations in the world. First focused on border issues and military security, after the 9/11 it directed its efforts on combatting terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking. It was at this time when Putin was offering Russia's help to the US in the 'war on terror.' The organization has developed to include on its agenda also trade and economic matters, since China has been the center of the growing Asian economy. For obvious reasons, Russia and the four Central Asian independent republics want to develop strong economic ties with China. Yet, many politicians in the West have viewed the creation of the SCO with alarm. The SCO resembled an exclusive club of only a few chosen. Plus, it could in the future challenge the US domination in the world and its leadership in the war on terror. This is from the skeptics. But any regional attempts at securing peace and cooperation must be greeted with positive energy. After all, international cooperation begins from a regional one.