Leaders of the South are conspiring against the US, as reflected in Trump’s statement.
A grand event, the 25th SCO meet, just concluded in Tianjin, China, where a galaxy of world leaders from the South, along with some European leaders, gathered for the Shanghai Coop-eration Organization conference. It was the first time that so many heads of state assembled to project the rising power of the South Bloc. Once taken lightly, the SCO has gradually so-lidified into a formidable force and expanded its reach. Besides its basic members, it now in-cludes observer states, with a total of 26 heads of state participating in this event.
This important gathering carried three dimensions—political, military and economic. Since World War-II, the world order has been dominated by the United States. The US dollar pro-vided Washington with unmatched leverage, both financially and geopolitically. Weak gov-ernance, corruption and mismanagement across many states enabled this dominance. Europe, recovering from the devastation of the war, remained dependent, while newly independent Asian and African nations became vulnerable to foreign interference. The demise of the So-viet Union in 1991 gave America the confidence to declare itself the sole superpower, assum-ing the role of both guardian and enforcer of global politics. Writers like Zbigniew Brzezinski even described it as the “end of history.” Yet, history proved otherwise.
The main pillar of US foreign policy has long been the projection of military power, coercion and sanctions. America maintains nearly 900 military bases worldwide, the largest network in human history and spends trillions on their upkeep. Much of the Middle East and Africa lies in ruins, with Muslim countries being the most devastated. Islam, declared the new threat af-ter communism, gave rise to the term “Islamophobia.” The 21st century, however, marked the remarkable economic and industrial rise of Southeast Asia, led by China. Meanwhile, Africa’s awakening has unsettled Western powers. China and Russia have emerged as the main drivers of this shift, with China in particular pursuing a comprehensive transformation of its economy and global role.
China’s leadership reshaped its landscape by creating industries once denied by the West, of-fering cheap labour, low taxation and affordable energy. Its hybrid economic model, blending state and private sectors, proved neither capitalist nor communist, but something new. Inves-tors from across the globe, including Americans and Europeans, flocked to China, fueling massive industrial growth within just three decades. Alongside, China developed world-class infrastructure, especially a rail network of 40,000 km with another 40,000 under construction, unleashing regional potential. Simultaneously, the state ensured affordable energy for indus-tries to remain globally competitive. Thousands of Chinese students studied in Western uni-versities before returning home to build top-ranked institutions that now produce leading sci-entists and engineers. This not only facilitated technology transfer but also enabled China to achieve independence from Western giants, fueling advancements in trade, industry and mili-tary power.
In geopolitics, China introduced the philosophy of a “shared vision.” Through initiatives such as the BRI, Beijing offered financial and infrastructural support to underdeveloped countries without coercion or interference. This soft approach won the confidence of more than 150 states. The CPEC project, as BRI’s flagship, has already attracted investments of over $40 billion in Pakistan, connecting remote northern areas to Gwadar Port. The SCO conference in Tianjin approved its second phase, including five new corridors. Gwadar Port is fully opera-tional, with its airport—gifted entirely by China—progressively coming to life. Politically, the SCO sent a clear message to the West: the South is rising as a decisive global force. SCO members now account for nearly 60% of the world’s GDP, surpassing the G20’s 40%.
In Africa, Chinese and Russian influence has surged, helping nations achieve economic inde-pendence and infrastructure development while forcing the closure of colonial-era military bases. Several African states are abandoning the CFA franc and moving toward their own currencies, while also considering BRICS currency adoption. SWIFT is being gradually re-placed by China’s CIPS. Meanwhile, China’s military displays at SCO events underscore not mere hardware, but the assertion of a new order—one that replaces coercion with equality among nations. The rise of Chinese technology, particularly in comparison to Western sys-tems, has alarmed US strategists. Declining trust in the US dollar as the sole global currency threatens Washington’s financial dominance, while the creation of parallel institutions in the South further accelerates this shift.
The SCO also reaffirmed its stance against terrorism in all forms, implicitly highlighting In-dia’s role in state-sponsored terror. Despite Mr. Modi’s theatrics, India faces difficulties in balancing ties with both the US and Russia-China, given its deep financial stakes in the West. Meanwhile, the Israeli assault on Hamas has opened another complex front, exposing the vulnerability of Middle Eastern monarchies overly dependent on Western security guarantees. The coordinated nature of the attack reveals how US interests predominate, leaving allies uncertain. A new normal is thus emerging—a contest between the South and the West. Yet, Gulf States, financially tied to Western institutions, have little room for maneuver.
For Pakistan, this is a defining moment. As a nuclear power with strategic geography, a resil-ient army, vast mineral wealth and a young population of over 50 million, the country holds immense potential. However, the future depends on fiscal discipline, political wisdom and strategic clarity. Pakistan’s historical legacy, rooted in centuries of leadership over this region, offers both inspiration and responsibility. At a time when Hindutva-driven India poses a toxic challenge, Pakistan must seize the opportunity to become not just a regional, but a global power.
—The author is a Brigadier Retired, a decorated officer with 32 years of active combat experience, 30 years in corporate sector as MD/COO. A column writer, Researcher and TV analyst.
