As its influence expands, BRICS has gained appeal among many countries, particularly in the Global South, for being a platform particularly tailored to the interests and demands of emerging markets and developing countries, said a Chinese scholar.
Zhang Xin, an associate professor from School of Politics and International Relations at East China Normal University, made the remarks in an interview with China Global Television Network on Thursday amid the ongoing BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, from Oct. 22 to 24.
The BRICS group has gained significant attention in recent years due to its growing influence in global economies and politics. The expansion of the group represents a pivotal moment in international relations, reflecting the shifting dynamics of power towards emerging economies.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that the enlargement of BRICS is a landmark event in the evolution of the international situation.
Over the years, BRICS has focused on economic cooperation, political collaboration, and cultural exchange, hosting annual summits to address global issues and foster dialogue.
"The most important attraction, as we already discussed, is that BRICS in this current geopolitical context offers an extremely valuable alternative platform, a platform of independent agency, a platform of peace and development, a platform particularly tailored to the interests and demands of emerging markets and developing countries. I think this is the ultimate attraction for BRICS to a large part of the world. And also, such attraction and value of BRICS become even more valuable during the past few years as (the global situation is) possibly becoming more volatile, becoming more politically confrontational. I think the agenda of peace and development the BRICS can potentially offer becomes even more relevant and more valuable for emerging markets and developing countries," said Zhang.
As BRICS countries continue along their pathways to development, some may pass a threshold where they might be considered developed countries. China has set a goal of achieving developed status by 2030, but it has said it will always be a member of the Global South and the developing world.
"I think that the idea is that both the Global South and the developing countries are not a exclusively economic concept, particularly for the idea of Global South. And it has a very important political dimension to it. So it doesn't mean Global South or developing countries are only measured or defined by the metrics of a per capital GDP or average income. So in that sense, China or some other big developing countries or countries of an income level that seem to be already above the level of a developing country defined by a pure economic metrics can be an important part of the Global South or developing countries on a political level," said Zhang.
BRICS grows increasingly attractive to Global South: scholar
