{"id":93611,"date":"2024-07-02T10:48:14","date_gmt":"2024-07-02T07:48:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/93611\/"},"modified":"2024-07-02T10:48:17","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T07:48:17","slug":"economic-assistance-market-access-china-ties-among-benefits-belarus-expecting-from-sco","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/93611\/","title":{"rendered":"Economic assistance, market access, China ties among benefits Belarus expecting from SCO"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Belarus may soon be admitted to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) after waiting for 14 years. Since 2010, Minsk has participated in SCO events as a dialogue partner, and since 2015 as an observer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n (yuz.uz)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Founded in 2001, the SCO brings together nine countries: China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Belarus is expected to join the club at the Astana summit on July 3-4.

Together, the SCO members account for a quarter of the world’s GDP and represent more than a third of the world’s population. At first glance, their economic power and a huge market suggest a great potential. In practice, however, things are much more complicated.

SCO<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Eurasian international political and economic organization established in 2001. It has nine member states, three observers and 14 dialogue partners.

Members (blue) Observers (green) Dialogue partners (yellow)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SCO- 25 percent of world GDP (2022), with India and China accounting for 23 percent<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCO – 42 percent of the world’s population (2022), with 36 percent living in India and China <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarus accounts for 0.3 percent of total GDP<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hoping for closer ties with China<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The SCO declared its main goal to strengthen stability and security in the region. This is certainly relevant for Minsk. However, security issues for Belarus are largely resolved in Moscow, and there is little need to duplicate security guarantees through the SCO.

China, the most important SCO member, is what really attracts Minsk as a potential counterweight to Moscow’s undivided political power.

But while Minsk’s interest is clear, benefits for Beijing are uncertain.

China\u2019s involvement in projects to equip and re-equip Belarusian industrial enterprises has not been a success story to be proud of or serve as a model for other countries in the region. The Belarusian-Chinese Great Stone Industrial Park, originally intended to take advantage of Belarus’ logistics potential, has faltered because of the Belarusian government\u2019s tension with the West.

Belarus\u2019 educational and scientific potential is also less attractive to China. In recent years, the repressive environment forced most competent academics to leave the country.

Trade between China and Belarus has been growing with Belarus reporting a big deficit.

China’s interest in economic and sociopolitical ties with Belarus may have faded in the last few years because of the country\u2019s hostility with the West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will partners take risks?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The SCO also declares economic cooperation a priority. Given the Western sanctions, Belarus must be eager to forge closer ties with the East.

The SCO offers Belarus a new pivot for its economy and potential access to huge markets. However, joining the organization does not automatically bring these benefits.

Belarus has cooperated with most SCO member states, often at a level that far exceeds the possibilities offered by SCO membership. It has maintained particularly strong ties with Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

Minsk would certainly like to work closely with other member states, but participation in the SCO is unlikely to remove key obstacles, such as sanctions and border traffic restrictions. Participation in the SCO will not automatically open new trade routes for Belarus.

Belarus’ foreign trade with the SCO countries, $million<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exports
Imports
Deficit\/surplus<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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