Abstract
The purpose of this study is to determine the main parameters of China-Russia security cooperation and to give an idea of the role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The article also examines what common threats exist for Russia and China and what drives these countries to develop cooperation within the SCO framework. At the same time, the article particularly emphasizes the joint actions of Russia and China on combating terrorism within the SCO framework.
Security cooperation between China and Russia has now become one of the main factors affecting the harmony of relations between the two countries. The establishment of the Shanghai Five and later the Shanghai Cooperation Organization also caused problems with regional security and intergovernmental relations. The events of September 2001 and its consequences have become a catalyst for the expansion and deepening of relations between the two countries on security. The “three evils” consisting of terrorism, separatism and extremism are among the main issues of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the emergence of these threats in Central Asia is one of the main threats to the security problem in the region.
The collapse of the USSR intensified the influence of conflict factors in Central Asia: the concentration of power struggles between different political groups and unions, systematic terrorism, the problem of drug trafficking from Afghanistan, and the increasing integration of radical organizations with international terrorism[1].These threats have forced the countries whose security is linked to the events in the region to strengthen and cooperate in cooperation, particularly China and Russia. Two more developed countries among the member states of the organization feel themselves responsible for the war against terrorism. Strengthening the security and defense of the duty of Russia in SCO and protecting national unity and territorial integrity. Indeed, the development of the separatist and extremist forces in the border regions of the country, especially in the North Caucasus, is linked to the threats from Central Asia. In addition, anti- Russian movements emerged during various colorful revolutions in Central Asian lands.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization supports cooperation between the PRC and Russia, and is considered as a new beginning of Sino-Russian relations in Central Asia, promoting the new political concept of multipolar model and security in the world, improving the strategic position of the countries. It is the contribution of these two countries to the protection of regional and international peace.The SCO was first established in 1997 as China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan were five member countries. In 2001, the organization adopted the Statute and other documents after Uzbekistan became a member of that organization. While “Shanghai Five”, the basic aims of the organization were set: fighting against terrorism, national separatism, religious exorcism about the empowerment of “three peasants” in the region. The SCO has become a multi-faceted mechanism of cooperation among member countries with the aim of ensuring stability, prosperity and security in Central Asia[2].
The PRC and Russia are considered to be the most influential participants of the SCO, so stable relations between the two countries are one of the important factors in successful development and operation of the organization. Another important factor in the strengthening of PRC and Russia relations in the framework of the SCO is the fact that the West has a great influence on Central and South Asia and the questioning of the dominance of the PRC and Russia in many regions. Chinese researcher Zhao Huasheng, as one of the basic principles of SCO operation, states that Russian and Chinese leaders have a belief in the gradual and widespread strengthening of the global multipolar system.It also states that the two countries have the same positions in the UN’s regulatory role and national sovereignty concepts.The Russian scientist Titarenko says the two states are in favor of establishing an international-political system that can respond to the new challenges of global security, which is the UN’s core. At the same time, both countries carry out defense and independent foreign policies in military strategies[3].
In the cooperation between the PRC and the Russian defense, they agree on new security concepts such as strengthening trust among the various states, reducing the level of weapons, adding the interests and information of all the parties involved in the events. Cooperation between Chinese and Russian troops is now becoming the most advanced cooperation. In order to further deepen cooperation in this area, it is recommended that military operations be carried out in the context of military training of the two countries in order to overcome military changes, cooperate in the training of officers and to combat military-scientific information and terrorism.The objectives and interests of the PRC in the field of security and defense are determined by the existence of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The basis of this interest is the orientation of traditional and non-traditional threats to China after the Cold War. In general, the interests and objectives of the PRC in the field of security and defense related to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization can be assessed at three levels:
In the first level, China is a guarantee for territorial integrity and national unity. The presence of separatist tendencies in some parts of China, such as Tibet, Xinjiang and Taiwan, which have US backing, is one of the most important threats to China’s territorial integrity and national unity. The Xinjiang region is of great importance to China in terms of natural resources in this region, as well as the existence of ethnic and religious features and separatist tendencies. At the same time, the population living in this province for China is also one of the important issues of ethnic, religious and linguistic partnership with some peoples living in Central Asia. This can be a source of instability and unrest in Xinjiang, especially in Northwestern provinces of China. As a result of the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the emergence of independent Turkic republics in Central Asia, China has faced the intensification of nationalist movements in East Turkistan (Xinjiang), Inner Mongolia and Tibet. The most important danger is the Uyghur Turks who trust in minorities in Kazakhstan (150 thousand), Kyrgyzstan (50 to 300 thousand) and Uzbekistan (more than 100)[4]. Local Uyghur Turks’ organizations were active in these countries but their activities were terminated within the framework of “Shanghai Five”. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which has four Central Asian policies, offers China and Russia the opportunity to pursue a coordinated policy in the suppression of separatist and nationalist tendencies within the institutional organization. In other words, within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, member states have the opportunity to integrate policies against separatist and nationalist threats. Thus, the CHC is a valuable opportunity for its own security through collective efforts within a regional organization.
The second level is the resolution of border probes with Russia. Historically, the border issue between the PRC and the USSR has always been a major conflict point between the two countries. In 1969, there was a military conflict for the island of Chzhenbao (Damanskii). Ultimately, this island was dissolved in 1991, when it was granted to China. But the insecurity between Moscow and Beijing has led to the establishment of armed forces on both sides and the strengthening of military bases. Since 1989, China and Russia have begun to reduce the number of troops on their borders to build trust between the two countries. However, with the disintegration of the USSR and the emergence of new independent states in Central Asia, China’s border problems have increased. After the disintegration of the USSR, the border length of 7,000 kilometers between the two countries was formed as 1533 kilometers between China and Kazakhstan, 414 kilometers between China and Tajikistan, 858 kilometers between China and Kyrgyzstan and 4370 kilometers between China and Russia[5]. In these cases, at the beginning of the 1990s, China has solved security problems at the border area by making a series of bilateral and multilateral agreements with Russia. With the establishment of the Shanghai Five, China has made important steps to strengthen its military security environment on its own frontier. Nearly, China has begun to create a buffer zone for security issues in the south and east regions, and later to establish a link with other member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in resolving their regional probes.
The third level is the adoption of strict measures to combat transnational crime, social stability and security. In fact, the collision between the great powers of post-Cold War China, in addition to the use of nuclear weapons, is believed to reduce the likelihood of collisions as a result of geopolitical contradictions. Thus, China has begun to tackle the problems of common security issues such as terrorism, drug trafficking, international crime, environmental pollution, illegal immigration and infectious diseases by developing cooperation with regional ties and neighboring countries. China’s initiative to establish the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an example of a successful regional institutional tool in the creation of tools against non-traditional threats in the security field[6].
Anti-terrorism cooperation between the PRC and Russia is mainly carried out within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Of course, the cooperation of the two countries in security within this organization is in contact with other (UN, ASEAN) international organizations. However, with this, the cooperation of the two countries is more effective, especially within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. From the very beginning of the struggle with the “three power” forces, China and Russia have laid the groundwork for cooperation in this area and their theoretical, scientific and legal basis has been approved between the two countries. First among international organizations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has also announced the launch of a fight against terrorism, even before the events of September 11, 2001 in the United States. Thus, in the summer of 2001, the Shanghai Convention on the fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism was signed on the day of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. This document provides the legal framework for security cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization[7].In modern political science, the concept of “terrorism” has about 200 formulations, and even the UN is still undecided about this issue so far. The pros and cons of the problem is that the concept is complex, that any party or religious group, sometimes even the whole country, can be declared a terrorist organization. In addition, in some cases, such a mixture causes military attacks against the sovereign states in the name of the struggle against international terrorism.
In order to expand and deepencooperationon this issue at the Leaders’Summitsof the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in St. Petersburg, members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which develops strategic direction in this area, makes its activities among the forces of security institutions more specific and becomes an intergovernmental organization – Regional Antiterrorist Agency between the states “have signed the deal. The Regional Anti-Terror Agency helps the national security agencies of the parties to the dispute with new threats. To this end, the Agency collects and reduces information and establishes a database of international terrorist and extremist organizations and their leaders, as well as the organizations and persons associated with these organizations. At the same time, this Agency examines the state of terrorism and the spread of extremism, as well as information on non-governmental organizations that support terrorists[8].
The three main functions and functions of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Agency Executive Committee are: coordination and operational function (cooperation and coordination between the competent authorities of member states in combating terrorism, extremism, anti-terrorism exercises); International-legal function (participation in the preparation of international documents on combating terrorism, assistance to the UN Security Council in the framework of the UN); Information-analytical function (creation of the agency database, collection of information on terrorism etc.)[9].
A series of documents were signed in the framework of the SCO to combat the “three evils”: Agreement on organizing and conducting joint anti-terror operations on the territory of the SCO member states; Agreement on joint cooperation between SCO member states to prevent persons involved in terrorist activities from entering the SCO territory; Notification of SCO member state presidents about International Information Security[10].
The Regional Anti-Terror Agency has begun to work out slowly: terrorist attacks are blocked, leaders of terrorist organizations are arrested and killed, anti-terrorist exercises are being continued. Thus, the PRC and Russia SCO are aware of their need for dialogue and cooperation in the security field as leading countries. International terrorism, the spread of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, the fight against drug trafficking and other threats, is becoming a strategic partnership condition of cooperation between the two countries.
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