China put energy cooperation centre stage at the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meetings in Tianjin. President Xi Jinping announced that China will invest in building 10 gigawatts (GW) of solar and 10 GW of wind power across SCO member countries over the next five years.
The SCO is a Eurasian political and economic alliance established in Shanghai in 2001. Back then it was formed of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It has since grown to include India, Pakistan, Iran and Belarus.
From an initial focus on regional security, the SCO has expanded its remit to development cooperation. At the recent SCO meetings in Tianjin, energy was positioned at the centre of the organisation’s priorities.
As well as its member states, the SCO also includes 2 observer states (Mongolia and…
