OP-ED by Liu Yuanhui, CGTN
A railway can change how a country connects to the world. The China-Laos Railway is a good example. For years, Laos was described as landlocked. Today, it is increasingly described as land-linked, with a new connection to China and markets beyond.
For small states, a new connection can also mean a new choice.
The same principle applies to diplomacy. In a world where major-power competition is often presented as a choice between competing camps, smaller countries face a difficult question: how can they work with more partners while maintaining the freedom to pursue their own interests? The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) offers one possible answer.
Another Platform for Cooperation
The SCO brings together countries of very different sizes, economic strengths and political systems. They are united by a willingness to cooperate in areas where their interests overlap.
That distinction matters for smaller states. The SCO emphasizes mutual trust, equality, consultation and mutual benefit. It also stresses respect for sovereignty and different development paths. Its founding principles are based on non-alignment and do not position the organization against other countries or international organizations.
For smaller countries, this can provide another platform for practical cooperation without every partnership being treated as a geopolitical statement.
Laos is one example. It officially became an SCO dialogue partner in 2026. At the signing ceremony, Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane said the “Shanghai Spirit” was consistent with Laos’ foreign policy.
But the significance extends beyond Laos. The same principle can matter to any smaller country seeking to expand its partnerships while wanting to leave room to make its own choices.
Small States Can Also Shape Cooperation
Small states are often talked about as countries that need investment, infrastructure, markets or security. That is only part of the picture. They also bring their own priorities, perspectives, and experiences.
They can also contribute their own regional experience to the organization. Southeast Asian countries, for example, have developed their own approaches to regional integration and connectivity. Their experience can bring another perspective to discussions that involve larger Eurasian economies.
So participation is not simply about receiving benefits. Smaller states can help determine which areas of cooperation receive attention and what practical results should look like.
The Value of Choice
For a small state, strategic autonomy is sometimes mistaken for neutrality. They are not necessarily the same. A country can maintain close relations with one partner and cooperate with another on a different issue.
It can participate in ASEAN, the United Nations, the SCO and other regional mechanisms at the same time. What matters is whether it retains the ability to make those decisions according to its own interests.
For smaller states, that is one potential value of an open multilateral organization.
The China-Laos Railway gave a landlocked country another route to the outside world. The SCO can offer smaller countries another route to cooperation. The more routes a country has, the less it has to see the world as a choice between only two roads.
Editor’s Note: This article was contributed by Liu Yuanhui. Views and information presented are those of the author.
