The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (hereinafter referred to as “SCO”) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (hereinafter referred to as “CIS”) are regional international organizations comprising multiple member states. Both were established to address the lingering issues resulting from the Soviet Union’s dissolution. During their development, the progress made by the two organizations has varied considerably due to factors such as their cooperation concepts and models, internal unity, and the power struggles among major countries in the post-Soviet space. At present, the capacity of CIS mechanisms exhibits a trend of slow growth, or even stagnation, while the SCO is on a relatively stable growth trajectory. This paper conducts a comparative study on the founding purposes, organizational structures, internal and external conditions, and effectiveness of SCO and CIS, exploring the reasons for the slow progress of the CIS, and summarizing insights that can inform the development of the SCO.

Shanghai Cooperation Organization;Commonwealth of Independent States;post-Soviet Space;regional integration