Importance Currently, the Central Asian region undergoes a substantial geopolitical shift, which results in a stronger position of China. Beijing and Moscow become the principal partners of the Central Asian States in economy and security. Analyzing the Chinese project of the Silk Road Economic Belt and challenges for its implementation, we provide the rationale for strengthened powers and capacities of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which is called to bring the Chinese project into life. Objectives The research constitutes a more extensive analysis of economic objectives proposed by Uzbekistan, i.e. ensuring the security of the Chinese project of the Silk Road Economic Belt. Methods Relying upon analysis and synthesis, we overview conceptual areas for the SCO activities, which were embodied in the Chinese Road Map for joint construction of the Silk Road Belt. We conducted a content analysis of national and foreign literature and individual researches. Results The article underlines key issues that prevent the People's Republic of China and Shanghai Cooperation Organization from implementing their strategic plans in the Central Asian region. As we note, they will be obstructed by the Islamic extremism, the situation in Afghanistan and the Western strategy in the region. It makes the SCO respond respectively to security challenges in the Central Asian region. Conclusions and Relevance The research enumerates some specific areas for ensuring the security in the SCO region and implementing the Silk Road Economic Belt project, preparing the Concept for Regional Security of the SCO, etc. It would be reasonable to set up a procedure for monitoring sources of threats to the SCO and exchange of respective information, decision-making procedure and rules for the relevant structures of the SCO to perform those decisions.
Keywords: Silk Road Economic Belt, Central Asian region, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Islamic fundamentalism
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