The Human Archipelago / L'Archipel humain

  For China, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is one way to make its weight felt across the world, a tool to reshape Afro-Eurasia according to its needs and interests, a vessel to share its thinking, a mean to reach its goals. Of course, by essence, the whole scheme is at odd with the wishes of the western world. The list of countries that are already part of this grouping, that wish to join it as observers or membres, is very interesting and indicative of the inroads made by Chinese influence in the world so far. The list of members is impressive: China, India, Pakistan, Russia, and four of the five countries that make Central Asia. Among those who wish to be a part of the grouping, in one form or another, many are heavyweight in their own right: Iran, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, etc. The aim of the SCO is mainly economic and strategic. While a strictly military alliance like NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is more cohesive and binding, this relatively new groupi