New Delhi: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday hailed the BRICS bloc as the world’s most influential platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries and called on the grouping to play its “due role” in bringing peace in West Asia.
Addressing the BRICS summit here, Xi said China will work with BRICS members to achieve peace and tranquillity in West Asia and the Gulf region, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
He said as the situation in West Asia and the Gulf region continues to evolve, the war there has caused serious losses to people across the region and does not serve the common interests of the international community.
He urged the group to deepen mutual understanding through communication and dialogue, properly handle differences and ensure that BRICS cooperation continues to move forward steadily.
Xi noted that over the past two decades, the BRICS cooperation mechanism has continued to grow and expand, and has demonstrated remarkable vitality and dynamism.
It has been 20 years of self-reliance and self-strengthening, he said, adding that BRICS countries have actively explored development paths suited to their own national conditions while demonstrating unity among emerging markets and developing countries.
BRICS countries, Xi said, have worked together to tackle challenges ranging from the global financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic to climate change.
The group has remained steadfast in safeguarding the common interests of the Global South, while providing the world with stability and positive momentum, he said
He said BRICS countries should oppose the Cold War mentality and called on the member states to oppose violations of other countries’ sovereignty and interference in their internal affairs.
The Global South is rapidly growing in strength, and the trend toward a multipolar world is unstoppable.
BRICS countries should uphold a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, oppose the Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, reject violations of other countries’ sovereignty and interference in their internal affairs, and play a constructive role in resolving hotspot issues, making a distinctive BRICS contribution to finding solutions that address both symptoms and root causes, he said.
China will work with fellow BRICS members to play a due role in bringing peace and tranquillity to West Asia and Gulf region, Xi said.
Countercurrents of unilateralism and power politics are surging, multilateralism and the international order are coming under strain, and deficits in peace, development, security and governance continue to widen, Xi said.
The BRICS countries should firmly stand on the right side of history, strive to be a pioneer of the times, steer the international order toward greater justice and equity, and work together to build a community with a shared future for humanity, he said.
China, Xi said, will take over as the rotating chair of the BRICS and host the 19th summit next year.
The Chinese side stands ready to work with all parties to build consensus, create a better future, and embark on BRICS’ third “golden decade,” jointly opening up a bright future of prosperity and progress, he said,
Xi said that BRICS countries should strengthen cooperation in AI initiative to promote new industrialisation through AI among BRICS countries.
BRICS countries are welcome to actively participate in the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, he said.
China proposed an initiative to promote new industrialisation through artificial intelligence among BRICS countries, and is willing to work with all parties to deliver more outcomes in research, development and application, and deepen cooperation in industrial and supply chains, he said.
Xi said BRICS should support a multilateral trading system centred on the World Trade Organization, and reject all forms of protectionist measures.
The grouping should lead global governance in emerging domains such as cyberspace, outer space and the deep sea, and amplify the voice of Global South countries, he added.
He called on BRICS countries to lead global governance in cyberspace, outer space, and the deep sea and amplify the voice of the Global South.
He said that BRICS countries should pioneer in innovative development as well as in maintaining peace and stability, boosting mutual learning among civilisations.
He said the members should focus on improving global governance, noting that the grouping should steer the international order toward greater justice and equity, and work together to build a community with a shared future for humanity.
Xi arrived here early Saturday, marking his first trip to India in seven years.
He was received at the Bharat Mandapam for the 18th BRICS summit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The other leaders attending the summit in New Delhi are Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, New Development Bank (NDB) President Dilma Rousseff and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Chief Zou Jiayi are also attending the BRICS summit.
