| The relation between structure and agent is crucial in the study of International Relationship Theory. The mainstream international relationship theories has a problem for a long time that it over evaluates the one-way construction of structures to agents. At the same time, Constructivism makes plenty of discussions on the process of constructing identities and interests through interactions among agents. These studies, to some extend, alternate the determined functions of structures.Processual constructivism focuses on processes, defined as the dynamic relationships, the core of which is relationships. The process has a characteristic of independent ontology. The relationships in the process affect the construction of national status, international norms and identity. Nevertheless, Processual Constructivism belongs to evolutionary theory at the systemic level, which means it can hardly make a proper explanation on the particular interaction among nations, especially the limitation of the cooperation among powers.Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is the first regional organization founded in the21century, as well as the first international organization that China participates in and holds a leadership. During the ten years of the foundation, SCO achieves a lot, but also faces many problems. Thus it is important and meaningful for China’s regional cooperation strategy that how we can explain theoretically the history of the development of SCO, particularly the existing problems and dilemmas.The thesis, based on the principal assumption of Processual Constructivism about the cooperate process among powers, considers that firstly the interactions among powers enable to change the identities about each other, launching cooperation; secondly the limitations of cooperation are determined by powers’ protections of their core interests respectively; the interactions among powers tend to produce Weak-form international institutions, which in return protect the cooperation.Through illustrating the process of foundation and development of SCO, the author thinks that China and Russia have some common interests in Middle Asia, but also have the possibility of potential conflicts on core interests. From the macroscopic perspective China and Russia, with a range of common interests and positive interactions, promote the development of SCO. At the same time, the differences and disputes between the two countries present the potential conflicts on core interests of the two in central Asia. This fact proves that the limitations of cooperation are determined by powers’protections of their core interests respectively. SCO, as an international institution, supports the continuation of cooperation, which verifies the basic assumption of powers’cooperation in the made of Processual Constructivism.The theoretical significance of the conclusion lies in the understanding of the ordinary mode of powers’cooperation, and the realistic influence is to raise a practical policy suggestion that helps China contribute the development of SCO, even strengthen regional cooperation and improve the capability of influencing and changing international system in a wiser way. |
