Chinese President says BRICS summit in South Africa ‘not an exercise in asking countries to take sides’
Addressing BRICS allies, Chinese President Xi Jinping has sought to assure that China is not pursuing hegemony and major-power competition. He emphasized that the BRICS group, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, serves as a positive and stabilizing force for global progress.
During the BRICS Business Forum in Johannesburg, Xi stated that China remains committed to an independent foreign policy of peace and the creation of a shared future for humanity.
BRICS, representing emerging economies, constitutes a significant quarter of the global economy, a fifth of worldwide trade, and over 40% of the global population. The summit in South Africa marks BRICS’ first in-person meeting in four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Xi, in a written statement, underscored China’s commitment to advancing the representation and voice of emerging markets and developing countries in global affairs, without naming specific nations.
He cautioned against “some countries” fixated on maintaining hegemony, which has hindered the progress of emerging markets and developing countries. Xi declared that China’s DNA does not embrace hegemonism or major-power competition, positioning the country on the side of justice and the common good.
DELIBERATE CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS
Xi observed that the world is at an unprecedented juncture of change, posing a choice for BRICS: to foster cooperation or succumb to division and confrontation. He questioned whether the group should work together for peace, prosperity, openness, and inclusiveness, or allow hegemony and bullying to bring about a new Cold War.
He stressed that the choices made will shape history and urged BRICS to promote development and prosperity for all. Xi also cautioned against a deliberate clash of civilizations based on concepts like “democracy versus authoritarianism” and “liberalism versus autocracy,” highlighting the need for diverse nations to interact, learn, and advance collectively.
BRICS TRANSFORMING THE GLOBAL LANDSCAPE
Xi depicted BRICS as the collective ascent of emerging markets and developing countries, fundamentally altering the global landscape. He emphasized that these countries contributed to over 80% of global growth in the past two decades and have increased their share of global GDP from 24% four decades ago to more than 40% today.
Affirming BRICS’ growth trajectory as a positive and stable force, Xi vowed to strengthen the BRICS strategic partnership, expand the “BRICS Plus” model, advocate for membership expansion, deepen cooperation with other emerging economies, and enhance global multipolarity and equity in international relations.
He clarified that BRICS’ inclusion of more than 50 other countries during the South African summit is not about taking sides or forming bloc confrontations, but rather an endeavor to expand the architecture of peace and development.
Xi expressed China’s aspiration to witness increased participation in the BRICS cooperation mechanism.
