ABSTRACT
The drive towards Eurasian security received a shot in arm with the emergence of the Shanghai Five. The process began in 1989 with negotiations on confidence building measures on the Soviet-Chinese border to settle their border problems. The Shanghai Five reflected the commonality of the national interests of China, Russia and the states of Central Asia. China and Russia are collaborating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to realize their respective security and economic interests. SCO members held the biggest military exercise in Xinjiang region of China and Chebarkul region of Russia under the name of a peace mission. The sudden disintegration of the Soviet Union presented both challenges and opportunities to Beijing. The fact that the SCO during the 15 June 2001 summit forcefully underlined its right to regulate affairs in Central Asia signifies the single common ground where interests of Moscow and Beijing can converge.
