JOHANNESBURG: Beijing on Tuesday threw its weight behind campaigns to expand the BRICS club of large emerging economies. The BRICS countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa are meeting in Johannesburg.
In a speech read on his behalf by his Chinese Minister for Commerce Wang Wentao at the start of the summit, Chinese leader Xi Jinping stated, “hegemonism is not in China’s DNA”.
He added the dialogues taking place in Africa were not aimed at “asking nations to take sides, rather to expand the designer of peace and progress”.
He said that whatever resistance there might be, BRICS, a stable and positive force for goodwill, continue to nurture. He added that they would forge a stronger BRICS strategic partnership and vigorously advance membership extension”, and “help make the international order more equitable”.
China is the BRICS’ most influential economy and Xi’s visit to South Africa, just his second global visit this year, comes as China pushes to quickly expand the group’s membership.
Ukraine War and BRICS
The meeting in South Africa has underlined divisions with the West over the conflict in Ukraine and the support Moscow enjoys from its other BRICS partners.
China, India, and South Africa have not denounced Russia’s attack, while Brazil has also refused to join Western countries in sending weapons to Kyiv or imposing sanctions on Russia.
The theme of the current summit is “BRICS and Africa” and comes as the region emerges as a renewed diplomatic battlefield with Washington, Moscow, and Beijing knocking for influence.
The alliance began as 4 nations in 2009 but expanded the following year with the inclusion of South Africa.
Authorities say over 40 nations have shown interest in joining from across the ‘Global South’.
