The Platform’s Deputy Secretary-General attended the 2026 SCO Think Tank High-Level Forum and delivered a keynote address.

Shanghai Cooperation Organization Time  

On June 7–8, the “2026 SCO Think Tank High-Level Forum” was held at the China–Shanghai Cooperation Organization International Judicial Exchange and Cooperation Training Base of the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law (hereinafter referred to as the “China–SCO Judicial Training Base”). More than 150 representatives from international organizations, SCO member states, domestic and foreign universities, research institutions, and media outlets convened under the theme “The Shanghai Cooperation Organization in an Era of Major Global Transformation: Rising to Challenges and Forging Ahead.” Taking the 25th anniversary of the SCO’s founding as an opportunity, the forum focused on the key agenda items of this year’s Heads of State Summit, conducted an in-depth analysis of the SCO’s strategic positioning and development path amid the trend toward multipolarity, and worked to build consensus among think tanks and contribute intellectual insights to deepening security trust, strategic alignment, and practical cooperation across the Eurasian continent.

Ge Weihua, Secretary of the Party Committee of Shanghai University of Political Science and Law; Liu Qing, Vice President of the China Institute of International Studies; Kopelev, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization; Norov, former Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization; Puyana, Director of the Geneva Office of the United Nations University for Peace; and Zhang Wenwei, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Commission on Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, attended the opening ceremony and delivered remarks. The ceremony was chaired by Zheng Shaohua, President of Shanghai University of Political Science and Law and Director of the Office of the China–SCO Judicial Training Base.

Ge Weihua pointed out that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Amid profound adjustments in the international landscape and the Eurasian geopolitical environment, the SCO’s role in safeguarding regional stability and deepening multilateral cooperation is becoming increasingly prominent. Relying on the China–SCO Judicial Training Base, the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law continues to strengthen its think-tank capacity, foster academic exchanges, and cultivate talent. He expressed the hope that the distinguished experts and scholars would seize this forum as an opportunity to engage in in-depth discussions and offer constructive recommendations, thereby contributing to the upcoming SCO Heads of State Summit and providing high‑quality intellectual support for the long-term development of the SCO and its member states.

Liu Qing stated that last year’s Tianjin Summit yielded fruitful results, and the “Five Commitments” and the Global Governance Initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping have charted the course for the SCO’s development. At present, the international geopolitical landscape is complex and volatile, with a confluence of security risks, posing new challenges to the SCO. Over the years, think tanks from SCO member states have provided robust intellectual support for the organization’s growth. He expressed hope that the experts attending this forum will engage in in-depth exchanges, build consensus, and formulate pragmatic measures, thereby jointly contributing to the SCO’s steady and sustainable progress.

Kopelov noted that Shanghai is the cradle of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and a hub of its collective strength, while the China–SCO Judicial Training Base serves as a vital platform for training legal professionals and fostering academic exchanges among SCO member states. Amid a complex international landscape, the SCO has steadfastly upheld multilateralism and remains a key force for regional stability. He expressed the hope that think tanks from all countries will strengthen regular cooperation, refine two-track dialogue mechanisms, and, through scholarly research and the dissemination of findings, effectively communicate the story of the SCO’s development, thereby contributing their expertise to the organization’s long-term growth and the successful hosting of its summits.

Norov stated that, amid an escalating global governance crisis and ongoing geopolitical instability, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization faces multiple challenges, underscoring the growing importance of think tanks in conducting forward-looking analysis and proactively formulating strategies. In this new phase, SCO cooperation should prioritize emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, digital rule of law, green transformation, water security, and cybersecurity, while leveraging universities and think-tank platforms to strengthen the legal cooperation framework and cultivate multidisciplinary talent. He emphasized the need to deepen regional collaborative governance, address regional security challenges in a prudent and measured manner, and innovate multilateral cooperation models, thereby injecting sustained momentum into the sustainable prosperity of the Eurasian continent and the high-quality development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Puyana stated that people-to-people exchanges and educational cooperation are vital pillars of regional peace and stability, and that universities and think tanks play an increasingly prominent role in building consensus and addressing global challenges. The United Nations University for Peace has maintained close, long-term collaboration with China and relevant institutions of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and has established a well‑established cooperative framework with the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law. He expressed the hope that all parties will continue to work together to advance peace education, talent development, and youth exchanges, leveraging the strengths of think tanks and universities to contribute to the SCO’s long-term development and to global governance.

Zhang Wenwei believes that think tanks play a crucial role in bridging policy and practice and in building a community with a shared future for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. All parties should align closely with the four major initiatives—global security, development, civilization, and governance—and deepen research on security cooperation, economic and trade connectivity, people-to-people exchanges, and global governance. The SCO Council will continue to establish platforms for dialogue, hoping that think tanks from all sectors will unite their efforts, translate research findings into concrete actions, and contribute civil‑society strength to building a more prosperous, stable, inclusive, and vibrant Shanghai Cooperation Organization family.

During the forum, Wang Jianping, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Multifunctional Economic and Trade Platform, delivered a keynote address titled “Upholding the ‘Shanghai Spirit’ and Smoothing the ‘Smile Curve.’” Against the backdrop of intensifying anti-globalization trends and the accelerating restructuring of global supply chains, he drew on the 25th anniversary of the SCO’s founding to analyze the current state of regional intellectual property and industrial‑chain development. He also outlined how the platform leverages an NGO‑led industry working‑committee model to foster multi‑stakeholder collaboration, and, using specific projects as examples, illustrated practical pathways for expanding across the entire value chain through joint brand building, co‑creation of standards, and resource sharing. In addition, he put forward three recommendations for future development, calling on all parties to uphold the “Shanghai Spirit,” champion the goal of flattening the “smile curve,” abandon conventional value‑chain thinking, and work together with enterprises from SCO member states to co‑develop localized brands, standards, and talent pools—thereby addressing critical gaps in the value chain and forging a new paradigm of mutually beneficial regional industrial cooperation.

Nearly 30 representatives from domestic and international universities, think tanks, and practical institutions—including the Development Research Center of the State Council, the Academic Council of the Russian International Affairs Council, the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, the Institute for National Strategic Initiatives under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, the China Center for Studies on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, the Institute of Russian Studies at Tsinghua University, the Russian BRICS Research Committee, the Institute of International Strategy at the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance), the Strategic Research Center of the President of Tajikistan, the Ministry of Education of Kazakhstan, Fudan University, the Multifunctional Economic and Trade Platform of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Asia and Africa at Moscow State University, the Azerbaijan Center for International Relations, the SCO Research Center at Lanzhou University, Saint Petersburg State University of Economics, the Belarusian Studies Center at Zhejiang Shuren University, Baku State University in Azerbaijan, and the Faculty of Economics at Saint Petersburg State University—drawn from their respective fields of research and professional experience, and in light of the current international and Eurasian landscape, engaged in an in-depth discussion of key issues such as “The Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Global Governance,” “Risks and Challenges Facing the SCO,” and “Prospects for the SCO’s Future Development.”

Through vigorous academic exchanges and practical knowledge sharing, senior officials and think-tank experts from multiple countries, marking the 25th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the 30th anniversary of the “Shanghai Five” mechanism, revisited the SCO’s development trajectory, analyzed current opportunities and challenges, and jointly explored pathways for high-quality future growth and greater engagement in global governance. Participants agreed that the current international landscape is increasingly volatile, with regional flashpoints such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the situation in Iran posing unprecedented tests to the SCO’s security governance. They emphasized the need to uphold the “Shanghai Spirit,” adhere to the principles of non‑alignment, non‑confrontation, and non‑targeting of third parties, and continue to inject SCO‑driven momentum into addressing global governance challenges, safeguarding international equity and justice, and advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. In addition, they called for strengthening people-to-people, educational, and scientific‑technological cooperation among SCO member states—by establishing digital platforms for think-tank dialogue, enhancing transnational education networks, and fostering the application of artificial intelligence in academia—to propel the SCO’s next phase of development.

This forum features three parallel sessions, each focusing, from a Chinese perspective, on the themes “China and Russia: Thirty Years of Strategic Cooperative Partnership,” “China and Central Asia: Advancing High-Quality Regional Cooperation,” and “China and the South Caucasus: Jointly Reviving the Silk Road.”

Through the sharing of their respective research findings and practical experiences, participating experts and scholars, think-tank researchers, and representatives from relevant government agencies have covered key areas such as China–Russia strategic cooperation, Central Asian regional development, and South Caucasus connectivity, thereby establishing a comprehensive, multi‑tiered framework for regional cooperation dialogue.

Delegates noted that the world is currently undergoing accelerated transformations unseen in a century, with protracted geopolitical conflicts and profound adjustments to the global governance system, making the contest between multilateralism and unilateralist competition increasingly pronounced. Over the past three decades, China–Russia strategic coordination has consistently served as a stabilizing anchor for the international order, setting an exemplary model for major-country relations based on mutual respect and win‑win cooperation. China–Central Asia cooperation has continued to deepen and deliver tangible results, yielding substantial achievements in economic and trade exchanges, connectivity, energy security, and people’s livelihoods, thereby bolstering high‑quality regional development. Meanwhile, China and the South Caucasus countries, drawing on the historic Silk Road as a纽带, have steadily expanded practical cooperation, injecting new momentum into the revitalization of Silk Road civilization and the seamless integration of Eurasian land and maritime corridors.

After years of sustained effort and vigorous promotion, the “SCO Think Tank High-Level Forum” has become a key platform for exchanges among regional think tanks and people-to-people interactions within the SCO framework, with its academic and public‑opinion influence steadily growing. The forum is jointly established and co‑hosted by Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, the China–SCO Judicial Training Base, the China Institute of International Studies, and the China Center for Studies on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Attachment: Original Text (Excerpt) of the Keynote Address by Deputy Secretary-General Wang Jianping

Uphold the “Shanghai Spirit” and flatten the “smile curve.”

— Excerpt from the Keynote Address at the 2026 SCO Think Tank High-Level Forum

Wang Jianping, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Multifunctional Economic and Trade Platform

Distinguished leaders and esteemed experts:

Hello everyone! At present, the global geopolitical landscape is undergoing profound adjustments, with rising anti-globalization trends and an accelerating fragmentation of supply chains, prompting a rapid reshaping of global supply networks. To build on the SCO’s 25 years of cooperation and institutional evolution, assess current security and development risks and challenges, leverage the strategic leadership of China and Russia as well as Central Asia’s geographic advantages, and chart the organization’s future development path, it is essential to uphold the “Shanghai Spirit” as our guiding principle. By advancing collaborative governance of intellectual property, innovating industrial platform models, and implementing concrete projects, we can encourage Chinese enterprises to use co‑construction and shared‑benefit branding as a gateway, champion the goal of flattening the “smile curve” in industrial cooperation among SCO member states, and strengthen supply chain resilience through value‑chain‑oriented international engagement, thereby safeguarding the continued advancement of globalization. Below, drawing on the exploratory practices of the SCO’s multifunctional economic and trade platform, I would like to share several reflections and recommendations.

I. Current Situation: Intellectual property has emerged as a key outcome of SCO innovation cooperation, yet it also constitutes a significant bottleneck hindering the expansion of the value chain.

After years of development, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has established a multilateral framework for intellectual property cooperation. Most member states have acceded to the relevant conventions of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and initiatives such as the China–Russia 5G patent cross‑licensing agreement and China’s region‑specific special campaigns to address IP infringements have yielded tangible results, making intellectual property a key outcome of the SCO’s innovation‑driven collaboration. However, constrained by disparities in national development, the fragmentation of IP systems remains a salient issue: First, Legislative processes vary from country to country; Second, A lack of cross-border law enforcement cooperation; Third is Brand development and patent commercialization remain relatively weak; Fourth is Imbalance in intellectual property service resources. A key reason is that, for a long time, Western countries have dominated the high‑end segment of the “smile curve,” leaving most SCO economies stuck at the low end of the value chain—engaged in crude resource processing and OEM/ODM manufacturing. This has fueled concerns among SCO member states regarding intellectual property, brand development, and the smile curve itself, thereby hindering their progress in IP protection and international cooperation.

II. Lever: The SCO Multifunctional Economic and Trade Platform adopts NGO Innovative mold Formula, promoting enterprises Guided by the promotion of the “Shanghai Spirit,” Upholding the banner of flattening the “smile curve” to help value chains go global.

Brands serve as the ultimate vehicle for translating intellectual property into tangible value and constitute a core metric for assessing the high‑quality development of industrial chains across nations. Against the backdrop of deglobalization, the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization exhibit pronounced complementarities in their industrial value chains, endowing them with both inherent advantages and favorable conditions to forge a collaborative ecosystem centered on China as a hub, fostering joint brand development and industrial synergy. The SCO’s multifunctional economic and trade platform takes industry working committees operating under an NGO model as its innovative cornerstone. Leveraging 36 such committees and over 2,000 member entities, it is led by Chinese chain‑leading enterprises, bringing together domestic central SOEs, local state‑owned enterprises, private firms, and upstream and downstream players from across the SCO member states. Guided by the “Shanghai Spirit” and championing the goal of flattening the “smile curve,” the platform seeks to establish a regional framework for industrial collaboration and innovation—anchored by central SOEs, supported by state‑owned enterprises, spearheaded by private companies, and partnered with foreign firms. Through this model, as we advance China’s industrial cooperation with SCO member states, we directly move away from the Western mindset of occupying the high‑end of the “smile curve” in global value chains. Instead, we work with SCO countries to co‑build and share localized brands and indigenous intellectual property, cultivate local talent, and help their industries steadily upgrade—from the bottom of the smile curve toward both ends.

III. Exploration: Cultivating Intellectual Property Brands + Integration of trade, industry, and investment to address the短板 at both ends of the SCO’s “smile curve” (abridged).

IV. Recommendations: Uphold the vision of flattening the “smile curve,” leverage co‑branding as a key lever, and pursue overseas expansion along the value chain, thereby forging a new, more stable, secure, and mutually beneficial industrial‑chain framework within the SCO framework.

In light of the SCO’s future development plan and drawing on the practical implementation of the SCO economic and trade platform, we put forward three recommendations:

First, co‑building brands will foster endogenous momentum and deepen institutional‑level openness and cooperation. We must continue to be guided by the “Shanghai Spirit,” uphold the banner of flattening the “smile curve,” and comprehensively advance the joint development of regionally distinctive brands as well as the coordinated integration of industrial and value chains. This will ensure that intellectual property and branding become core assets owned by SCO member states, rather than mere external inputs supplied by other countries. In turn, this will enable SCO countries, driven by the imperative to safeguard their own core assets, to steadily strengthen their endogenous momentum in areas such as intellectual property protection, legislation, law enforcement, patent commercialization, and brand cultivation. As industries take root, we should deepen efforts to foster institutional openness and cooperation between China and other SCO member states in fields like technology, standards, and branding.

Second, leveraging China–Russia collaborative synergy to empower local brands in Central Asia to enhance quality and upgrade. Leveraging the leading roles of China and Russia, we will provide targeted support to foster indigenous brands in Central Asia. Drawing on the robust industrial foundations and proven brand‑management expertise of both countries, we will focus on incubating locally distinctive brands in key sectors such as specialty agricultural products, light manufacturing, and automotive components. At the same time, we will unlock the full potential of geographical‑indication products through industrialization and branding, thereby narrowing the gap in regional industrial value.

Third, replicate the experience of benchmark projects, leveraging… NGO The model is driving end-to-end overseas expansion. Continuously summarize and distill the practical experience and organizational strengths of the SCO Economic and Trade Platform’s Industry Working Committee, further encouraging and facilitating more enterprises to leverage an NGO‑style model to expand their value chains overseas, thereby forging a new, more stable, secure, and mutually beneficial landscape for the SCO industrial chain.

Distinguished experts, over the past twenty-five years of shared challenges and achievements, the “Shanghai Spirit” has remained the cornerstone of the SCO’s sustained development. Seizing the window of global industrial transformation, we take regionally co‑built and shared brands as our entry point, leverage market‑oriented platforms to unlock industrial resources, and implement flagship projects to strengthen multilateral and bilateral cooperation. By continuously addressing the短板 at both ends of the “smile curve,” we are breaking free from the trap of low‑end lock‑in, steadily flattening the SCO’s industrial and value chains, and bolstering the resilience of regional industrial and supply chains. Together, we are forging a new paradigm of SCO industrial collaboration—characterized by rational division of labor, shared value, and mutually beneficial, inclusive outcomes—thus contributing to the common economic prosperity of the SCO region.

Thank you, everyone!