September 15th, 2025
- USCSSO @GWU
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Overview
This week, we discuss joint East Asian military exercises, a summit bringing heads of state together for multilateral action, and contention regarding the establishment of a oceanic nature preserve.
Diplomacy
Falling into ‘Steppe’: Military Exercises on Mongolian Border
By Contributor Jason Holman
China, Russia, and Mongolia engaged in joint military exercises in Inner Mongolia, projecting power and newfound cooperation.
Photograph of the joint military exercises between the three countries in China’s Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region. (via CCTV)
Strength: On September 8th & 9th, China led military exercises with Mongolia and Russia within the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region. This marks the first time that the three countries have engaged in a joint military exercise. The exercise demonstrated advanced technologies such as First-Person-View drones and battlefield reconnaissance radar. Later, in Russian territory, there were exercises between military dogs and China’s robotic dogs. The goal of the military exercise was to work on cracking down on terrorist activities as well as strengthening the coordination and cooperation of the three countries' military commands.
Cooperation: This heightened cooperation is atypical of Mongolia. Despite being wedged between Russia and China, Mongolia typically attempts to hold its doors open to cooperation with the West, maintaining trade ties with the US and EU. It has also largely avoided membership in China’s SCO, remaining an observing nation for 2 decades. However, recent Chinese diplomatic pressure has brought this to an end. In August, Mongolia participated in military exercises in both Xinjiang and Siberia. Later, at the SCO summit, Mongolia dropped its observer status, entering instead into a “trilateral cooperation network” between itself, China, and Russia. The goal of this new initiative was to foster greater cooperation in security and regional integration.
Autonomy: China has been growing its economic and military cooperation with Russia throughout the 21st century. Now, Mongolia remains wedged between Sino-Russian Cooperation, most recently exemplified by the construction of a massive oil pipeline, the “Power of Siberia 2” (POS2). Plans for the POS2 began in 2020, but they’ve only started to be realized. Cutting through Mongolia, the pipeline is expected to bring over 44 bcm of crude oil per year to China by 2035. Furthermore, the plan would bring Mongolia even closer to China’s political sphere. Mongolia would provide land and labor, while China and Russia would fund over 85% of the project, which would guarantee majority ownership being firmly in the hands of Russia’s Gazprom and China’s CDNC. Greater integration and cooperation with Mongolia, through these military exercises and continued economic integration, further cements China’s control over Central Asia and the broader region.
Diplomacy
Power Players Mingle in Tianjin
By Contributor Angier Lei
The Chinese city of Tianjin played host to the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization with numerous world leaders in attendance.
World leaders posing at the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Tianjin (via RANE)
Building the Summit: On August 31st and September 1st, China hosted the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin with leaders from over 20 countries and high-ranking officials from numerous international organizations. The organization was founded in 1996 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan to manage border disputes, but the group has since added India, Iran, Pakistan, Belarus, and Uzbekistan, with many other permanent dialogue member nations. The organization’s mandate has also evolved to include goals like promoting a new “political and economic international order”. Although the organization’s diverse members often prevent tangible actions, the organization and summit hold great value for bilateral and multilateral relations in the region, as well as serve to bolster Chinese global leadership.
New and Improved: The biggest accomplishment of this year’s summit was the decision to establish an SCO development bank to support infrastructure and economic projects. China also pledged $280 million (2 billion RMB) in grants for this year and $1.4 billion (10 billion RMB) in loans for the next three years. SCO members also reached agreements to strengthen cooperation in areas like artificial intelligence, green industry, and higher education, through the creation of 6 new platforms. Chinese President Xi Jinping also outlined the Global Governance Initiative, the fourth of his global initiatives. The new initiative highlights five key principles: adhering to sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating for people-centered approaches, and focusing on taking real actions. Xi also accompanied the unveiling by stating, “We must continue to take a clear stand against hegemonism and power politics, and practise true multilateralism,” which many have interpreted as critiquing the U.S. The SCO has long been seen as a challenge to the U.S.-led global order, and China may have just said the quiet part out loud.
Reading into the Handshaking: The summit was a great opportunity for non-Western leaders to rub shoulders and, in some cases, infuriate the Trump administration. The summit was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first meeting in China since 2016, with Xi and Modi indicating new commitments amidst high U.S. tariffs. Modi and Xi were also able to chat with Russian President Vladimir Putin, sending a strong message of solidarity despite lingering differences. Even with the U.S. pressuring China and India to avoid Russian energy, China and Russia signed an agreement to build the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline to increase gas shipments to China following the summit. Later that week, Trump took to Truth Social, commenting “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!”. As the SCO gains a financial arm and continues to build relations, the organization’s ability to challenge U.S. hegemony will only become stronger.
Defense
Tensions Rise as China Plans a Reserve in the Scarborough Shoal
By Contributor Austin Loui
China’s proposal for a nature reserve over the Scarborough Shoal triggers immediate protest from the Philippines in yet another maritime standoff.
Satellite photograph of the Scarborough Shoal. (Source: Britannica)
Preservation or Posession: Tensions between China and the Philippines have reached a fever pitch with the State Council of China’s approval to establish a new nature reserve over the 3,500-hectare Scarborough shoal. The State Council justified the proposal as necessary for maintaining the “diversity, stability and sustainability” of Huangyan Island, China’s name for the Shoal. The Philippines has condemned the reserve as an encroachment on their maritime sovereignty noting the issuance comes with “clear pretext for occupation” which will result in immediate and formal diplomatic protest. The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs further urged China to respect its obligations under international law in light of the nature reserve. Notably, the department cited by name the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and 2016 South China Sea (SCS) Ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, both of which have ruled China’s claims over the SCS illegitimate. China’s State Council has claimed the proposal to be necessary for maintaining the “diversity, stability and sustainability” of Huangyan Island, China’s name for the Shoal.
A Prolonged Standoff: This recent development emerges from a period of unique escalation and territoriality by China over the Scarborough Shoal this August. While the Chinese coast guard was chasing a Philippine coast guard vessel delivering aid a Chinese warship rammed through their own coast guard vessel while performing a “risky manoeuvre”. Just two days later, the USS Higgins conducted the first freedom of navigation operation through the Scarborough Shoal in six years. China reacted by announcing the mission was a serious violation of sovereignty and vowed to keep “high alert at all times”, while the United States claims the act was consistent with international law. Clashes like these have been frequent and date back to 2012 when China seized the islet from the Philippines sparking a prolonged standoff over who owns the Shoal.
Beyond the Shoal: Since seizure, Scarborough Shoal ownership has become a centerpiece in the question of not just Philippine sovereignty, but sovereignty of the SCS writ large. Territorial baselines published by China that show the Scarborough as Chinese territory are not isolated to their agenda for the Philippines but are part of their broader territorial plans, including the nine-dash line. In light of China’s broader ambitions in the SCS, their next moves over the Scarborough Shoal could shape the state of Asian security for years to come.
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