Xiplomacy: Xi eyes practical cooperation among BRICS countries for common development

BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping on Thursday called on the BRICS countries to promote common development and strengthen security cooperation in the face of increasing instability, uncertainty and insecurity across the world.

Xi made the remarks while delivering a video address at the opening session of the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting. BRICS is the acronym for an emerging-market bloc that groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

As a positive, inspiring and constructive force in the international community, the BRICS countries need to firm up belief, brave the storms and waves, and take real action to promote peace and development, uphold fairness and justice, and advocate democracy and freedom, so as to inject stability and positive energy into international relations in a period of turbulence and transformation, Xi said.

Over the past years, the Chinese president has urged the BRICS countries to deepen cooperation and share more converging interests. The following are some of Xi's remarks to this end.

Sept 4, 2017

"BRICS cooperation has traversed a glorious journey of one decade. Though separated by mountains and oceans, our five countries have been closely bound by a shared commitment to win-win cooperation," Xi said at the plenary session of the ninth BRICS summit held in the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen.

"Our people expect us to jointly boost development and improve their well-being. The international community expects us to make contribution to world peace and common development," Xi said, adding that "we must redouble our efforts to comprehensively deepen BRICS partnership and usher in the second 'Golden Decade' of BRICS cooperation."

July 26, 2018

While addressing a plenary session at the 10th BRICS summit scheduled from July 25 to 27 in 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa, Xi called on BRICS countries to build a network of closer partnerships.

"The 'BRICS Plus' approach we adopted at the Xiamen Summit is designed to strengthen the unity and coordination among BRICS members for greater cohesion and, at the same time, to keep broadening the BRICS 'circle of friends' in a joint pursuit of shared development and prosperity for all emerging markets and developing countries," said Xi.

Xi said that BRICS countries may explore "BRICS Plus" cooperation within the United Nations, the G20, and other frameworks to advance the common interests and boost the development space for emerging markets and developing countries, thus contributing more to world peace and development through broader partnerships.

Nov 14, 2019

In a speech entitled "Together for a New Chapter in BRICS Cooperation" at the 11th summit of BRICS, Xi called on the five countries to strive for more productive cooperation in such fields as trade and investment, digital economy and connectivity, so as to achieve high-quality development.

"We must remain true to our unwavering commitment to development and strengthen solidarity and cooperation for the well-being of our people and for the development of our world," he said.

Nov 17, 2020

Addressing the 12th BRICS summit in Beijing via video link, Xi said China is willing to work with other BRICS countries to accelerate building a BRICS partnership on the new industrial revolution.

China will set up an innovation center for such a partnership in the city of Xiamen, Xi said, adding that China welcomes the active participation of other BRICS countries.

Sept 9, 2021

When addressing the 13th BRICS summit via video link in Beijing, Xi said "under the current circumstances, it is important for BRICS countries to stay resolved, strengthen unity and further enhance the quality of practical cooperation," making five proposals for achieving such a goal.

-- First, strengthen public health cooperation in the spirit of solidarity.

-- Second, strengthen international cooperation on vaccines in the spirit of equitable access for all.

-- Third, strengthen economic cooperation in the spirit of mutual benefit.

-- Fourth, strengthen political and security cooperation in the spirit of fairness and justice.

-- Fifth, strengthen people-to-people exchanges in the spirit of mutual learning.

"We need to adjust and improve the substance and modality of our cooperation on the basis of consensus to meet the evolving circumstances and practical needs," Xi said, expressing his confidence that "with our concerted efforts, the BRICS mechanism will brim with renewed vigor and vitality."