Xi's trip to BRICS summit marks new chapter of unity, development for Global South: Chinese FM

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's trip to the 16th BRICS Summit has marked a new chapter of solidarity and self-strengthening of BRICS nations, and opened up new prospects for development and prosperity of the Global South, Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said.

China, Wang said after Xi's trip to the Russian city of Kazan, has once again played a vital role as a driving force of BRICS cooperation as well as a core member of the Global South.

During the summit, Xi elaborated on the direction and fundamental principles of greater BRICS cooperation, emphasized that BRICS nations were gathering for their shared pursuit, and called for joint efforts to build BRICS into a primary channel for strengthening solidarity and cooperation among Global South nations and a vanguard for advancing global governance reform, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Xi pointed out that BRICS countries should build a BRICS committed to peace, innovation, green development, justice, and closer people-to-people exchanges, and act as defenders of common security, pioneers of high-quality development, promoters of sustainable development, forerunners in reforming global governance, advocates for harmonious coexistence among all civilizations, and announced eight pragmatic measures to support the high-quality development of BRICS cooperation, Wang said.

Noting that a consensus was reached to invite a new group of countries to become BRICS partner nations at the Kazan Summit, Wang said the BRICS mechanism is fundamentally different from the cliques characterized by rigid Cold War mentalities and bloc confrontations, and it is certain to inject strong momentum into achieving an equal and orderly multipolar world as well as a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

The collective rise of the Global South is a distinctive feature of the great transformation across the world, Wang said, adding that as Xi said in Kazan, the Global South countries marching together toward modernization is monumental in world history, yet the road to prosperity for the Global South will not be straight.

Xi called on BRICS countries, who stand at the forefront of the Global South, to use collective wisdom and strength to uphold peace and come forward together to form a stabilizing force for peace, reinvigorate development and make themselves the main driving force for common development, and to promote together the development of all civilizations and be advocates for exchanges among civilizations, Wang noted.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, Wang said, noting that during the meeting between Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the two heads of state believed that China and Russia have found the right way to get along with each other, which features non-alliance, non-confrontation and not targeting any third party.

The global community has paid extensive attention to Xi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bilateral meeting, their first formal one in five years, Wang said.

During the meeting, Xi urged the two countries to maintain a sound strategic perception of each other, work together to find the right and bright path for big, neighboring countries to live in harmony and develop side by side, facilitate each other's pursuit of development aspirations, and set an example in boosting the strength and unity of developing countries, Wang said.

He added that the two leaders also agreed to work together to ensure peace and tranquility in the border areas and bring the relationship back to sound and steady development at an early date.