Xi's visit to Russia strengthens BRICS pillars

President Xi Jinping's recent visit to Russia to attend the 16th BRICS Summit offers a new look at how China is effectively responding to the changing global landscape, reflecting the common will of the Global South, and following through on China's commitment to advancing cooperation with developing countries. , officials and experts said.

The trip to Kazan, Russia from Tuesday to Thursday marks Xi's first overseas visit after the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and it is also the first BRICS summit after the historic expansion of the group in January.

In less than 48 hours in Kazan, Xi attended a series of multilateral and bilateral events on a packed schedule.

Xi's visit to Russia “opens a new phase of greater BRICS cooperation, builds a new consensus for unity and revitalization of the Global South” and sets a new example of head-of-state diplomacy, said Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

“Increased BRICS cooperation leads the unity of the Global South and has an important and far-reaching historical influence,” Wang told reporters at the end of the visit.

During the summit, Xi called on member countries to strive to build a BRICS of peace, innovation, green development, justice and greater people-to-people exchanges.

In his speech, Xi announced China's eight practical measures to support the high-quality development of BRICS cooperation, such as building a BRICS digital ecosystem cooperation network.

Wang said these measures “further expanded the scope and depth of BRICS cooperation, strengthened its pillars, improved its quality and modernized it”, as well as enhanced the self-confidence and autonomy of the BRICS BRICS countries.

Michael Dunford, an emeritus professor at the University of Sussex, said Xi's speech covered many topics and also contained “strong messages.”

“Trade, the diffusion of green, digital and other technologies, as well as international cooperation can serve as instruments of development and equity in a shared world,” he said.

Currently, countries in the South represent more than 40 percent of the global economy.

Leaders from more than 30 countries gathered in Kazan for the BRICS Plus Leaders' Dialogue to express their views on strengthening multilateralism and promoting equitable global development and security.

During the dialogue, Xi announced China-led cooperation initiatives, such as the construction of a BRICS customs center of excellence.

Foreign Minister Wang said Xi “met the South's common aspirations for unity, development and change, and demonstrated once again that China has never engaged in mere empty words of meaning, but in concrete actions.”

Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan, chairman of the Pak-China Knowledge Corridor and executive director of the Center for South Asia and International Studies, said: “Xi's focus on justice, global governance reform and multilateralism would lead to shared benefits. »

He added: “The principles of fairness, justice, openness and inclusion are the true principles of global governance. »

BRICS member countries currently represent almost half of the world's population and contribute more than 50% to global economic growth. The summit reached consensus on inviting a new group of countries to become BRICS partner countries.

Atul Dalakoti, executive director of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, noted that Xi, in his speech, welcomed new members to the BRICS family and hoped that all BRICS countries could work together for the peace and security.

“It is a speech that describes the future of BRICS as the most important initiative of the South and speaks of a future of a multipolar world where the interests of developing countries will be protected,” he said. declared.

During the Kazan summit, Xi also held bilateral meetings with a number of foreign leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking the first official meeting between the two leaders in five years.

“The restart of China-India relations from Kazan will not only benefit the 2.8 billion people of China and India, but also help facilitate peace and prosperity in the region and the world,” he said. said Minister Wang.
Source: Chinese Daily