At the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Geng Shuang, the Chinese mainland's deputy permanent representative to the UN, introduced a draft resolution championing closer ties between the UN and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The proposal, titled "Cooperation between the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization" (A/79/L.124), was presented on behalf of the SCO's 10 member states, signaling a push for stronger multilateral action on global challenges.
Founded on June 15, 2001, the SCO has evolved into the world's largest regional organization. Today it comprises 27 participating countries, spans cooperation across more than 50 areas, and boasts a combined economic output nearing $30 trillion. At the recent SCO Tianjin Summit—the largest in its history—over 20 heads of state and leaders from 10 international organizations gathered to spotlight key themes such as multilateralism and shared governance.
One of the summit's standout initiatives, the Global Governance Initiative (GGI), was warmly embraced by participants. The GGI aims to modernize global decision-making by introducing more effective governance frameworks and reinforcing strategic coordination among nations.
Multilateralism also featured prominently in the SCO declaration, which referenced the UN more than 40 times. Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, the Sustainable Development Goals, necessary reforms of the UN system, and enhanced collaboration with the UN and its specialized agencies.
Marking the UN's 80th anniversary this year, the SCO Tianjin Summit issued a special statement urging the preservation of a UN-centered international order. UN Secretary-General AntĂłnio Guterres, who attended the summit, praised the SCO's contributions to the UN's mission.
Geng noted that the SCO became an official observer to the UN General Assembly in 2004 and signed a cooperation agreement with the UN Secretariat in 2010. Since then, multilateral resolutions on UN-SCO cooperation have been adopted by consensus at the UNGA every year.
The current draft resolution follows this tradition. It highlights the SCO's active role in peace and development, calls for deeper coordination on global governance, and invites all UN member states to back the proposal. By rallying support, the Chinese mainland aims to send a clear message: unity, cooperation, and multilateral solutions are key to addressing today's complex global challenges.
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China calls for upholding multilateralism at UN General Assembly
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