The year 2012 is a rich year in terms of the SCO military cooperation activities. As the rotational chairman of SCO, China has staged a series of varied and vibrant military activities together with other member states. Such activities further lifted the level of mutual trust among the SCO member states, bolstered the deterrence against the "Three Forces", and effectively preserved the security and stability of the region. In general, the military cooperation within the SCO framework in 2012 demonstrates the following features: 1st, the meetings of the various mechanisms were completely unrolled, and the legal basis for military cooperation was further consolidated; 2nd, the multi-national military maneuvers conducted were more specifically directed, and the ability to safeguard regional security was elevated; 3rd, close attention was paid to new security threats or challenges, and the scope of military cooperation continued to expand; 4th, high importance was attached to issues regarding Afghanistan and Iran, and the degree of participation by the member states also became higher. <<