The Role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Deterring U.S. Hegemony in Asia

Abstract

The fall of the former Soviet Union led to a power vacuum in the Asian region, particularly in Central Asia, which allowed for the penetration of extraregional powers, including the United States, through economic and military assistance and the use of NATO as a tool. This expansionism by the U.S. has been a source of constant concern for regional countries. In response, one of the organizations inherently inclined to compete against U.S. unilateralism was established. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was formed as a soft balance against U.S. hegemony in the international system. The main question of this research is: How does the SCO operate to counter U.S. hegemony in the region? The authors hypothesize that the SCO, based on a security and political approach and with the presence of powerful countries such as China and Russia, strives to limit the U.S. role in the region. The non-membership of the U.S. in this organization has afforded the SCO a special status. To achieve the research objective, a descriptive-analytical method and library tools were used for data collection. The findings indicate that the powerful countries in the region have defined the establishment of the SCO as an alternative to U.S. unilateralism.