"The cooperation in security, especially the cooperation in defense security, is not only the direct reason for the establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), but also a major driving force for the existence and development of the SCO. For the objective reality of traditional and non-traditional security threats, the member states of the SCO have regarded security cooperation as the focal point for the cooperation in all fields within the framework of the SCO," said Wang Haiyun, the former Chinese military attache to Russia, to the reporter straight to the point.

　　Wang Haiyun explained, such external forces as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) headed by the Unite States of America set great store by the geopolitical strategic value and rich natural resources in the Central Asian region and attempt to bring the region into their own sphere of influence. The countries of the Central Asian region themselves have the uncertainties in economic and political stability. The three evil forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism have made the Central Asian region confronting with risks of turmoil and conflict all along. The existence of various security problems puts forward an objective requirement of strengthening cooperation in defense security to the SCO.

　　Wang Haiyun continued that security cooperation includes not only the cooperation of law enforcement departments in law enforcement security, but also the cooperation of the armed forces in defense security. Considering the grave security threats, the role of the armed forces of the member states of the SCO must be given to full play. This requires the member states of the SCO to establish the regular meeting mechanism and emergent consultation mechanism of the general staff headquarters and the exchange mechanism of the military organs of the member states, designate troops to participate in joint stability maintenance operations and organize specialized training in line with the unified outline, regularly hold joint anti-terrorism and stability-maintenance military exercise, so as to lay a solid foundation for ensuring the common security of countries in the region.

　　When it came to the assertion of the SCO as a "military alliance" by some people in Western countries intentionally or un-intentionally, Wang Haiyun said, to carry out mechanism cooperation in defense security has fundamental difference with the establishment of military alliance as the former relies on cooperation thinking, instead of confrontation thinking. It seeks common security, instead of exclusive group security. It enhances the exchange between the armed forces of member states through the way of signing cooperative agreement on defense security, instead of establishing joint armed forces through signing military alliance treaty.

　　Wang Haiyun stressed that the SCO sticks to the principle of non-aligned, non-confrontation and not against any third party when carrying out cooperation in defense security and has no plan to establish a joint military command agency, joint military force and joint military base, because the establishment of military alliance goes against the basic tenet and basic principle of the SCO, violates the basic concept of the member states, not only deviates from the trend of the time, but is not conducive to regional peace and stability.

　　By Li Donghang

　　(Jun 22, PLA Daily)                          Editor: Chen Jie