What It Is
The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) is the SCO's permanent operational body for counter-terrorism cooperation, headquartered in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. RATS was established by the 2002 Agreement on the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the SCO and operates as the most institutionalized aspect of cooperation.
RATS coordinates intelligence-sharing, joint exercises, and database management on the SCO's 'three evils' of terrorism, separatism, and religious extremism.
Operational Functions
RATS performs several operational functions:
- Intelligence sharing among SCO member-state security agencies on terrorist and extremist threats.
- Joint exercises: the annual Peace Mission counter-terrorism exercises and various bilateral training events.
- Sanctions list management: RATS maintains a sanctions list, designating individuals and organizations as terrorists subject to mutual recognition by SCO members.
- Border-security cooperation: information exchange on movements of suspected terrorists across SCO borders.
- Training: capacity-building for member-state law enforcement and counter-terrorism agencies.
The Sanctions List
RATS maintains a sanctions list of designated terrorists and extremist organizations, mutually recognized by SCO member states. The list functions similarly to 1267 sanctions list but is regional rather than global.
Civil Society Concerns
critics charge that RATS' broad definition of 'extremism' has been used by SCO governments to target legitimate political dissent. Documented concerns include:
- Uyghur activists: RATS designations have included Uyghur diaspora figures whom China considers separatists but who are not engaged in violent activity.
- Tibetan exiles: similar concerns about Chinese-driven designations of Tibetan activists.
- Opposition political movements: Uzbek, Tajik, and Russian opposition figures have appeared on or been linked to RATS lists.
- Religious minorities: Hizb ut-Tahrir and various non-violent Islamic movements have been designated as 'extremist.'
The consequence is that RATS' 'three evils' has effectively criminalized legitimate political opposition in some SCO member states.
Governance Structure
The RATS Director is appointed by the SCO Heads of State Council for three-year terms with regional rotation. The position has alternated between Chinese, Russian, and Central Asian leadership.
RATS also coordinates the annual Peace Mission joint counter-terrorism exercises, which are the SCO's most visible military-cooperation activity. Peace Mission has been held annually since 2003 with rotating hosts.
Why It Matters
RATS is the SCO's most operationalized cooperation — the area where the actually produces concrete shared work rather than declaratory political statements. For Central Asian states, RATS provides counter-terrorism cooperation with both Russia and China that bilateral relationships could not match.
For China, RATS is a useful instrument for managing Uyghur diaspora and shaping global perception of Xinjiang policies. For Russia, RATS provides intelligence channels and operational coordination in Central Asia.
Real-World Examples
The annual Peace Mission exercises — most recently the 2024 Peace Mission held in Russia — have demonstrated the SCO's counter-terrorism cooperation in practice. The RATS sanctions list has grown to include thousands of individuals and entities, with mutual recognition among SCO members. The 2022 RATS counter-terrorism conference in Tashkent brought together member-state agencies for sustained operational coordination.
Example
RATS' annual joint exercises (Peace Mission series) involve thousands of personnel from SCO member states — the 2023 exercises in Russia tested coordinated response to terrorist incidents across borders.