China’s ‘New International Order’: The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Afghanistan and Syria

Abstract

Ever since its establishment, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has positioned itself as representative of a ‘new international order’ in contrast to the US-led ‘old order’. This article argues that analysing the SCO’s response to international crises as practical implementations of its ‘new international order’ offers crucial insights into China’s vision for international relations. To that end, it examines the organisation’s response to crises in Afghanistan and Syria, outlining what kind of order the SCO propagates and what this means when acted out. The findings are based on qualitative content analysis of PRC and SCO documents and semi-structured expert interviews.