China plays an important and unique role among BRICS countries in leading the Global South and promoting multilateralism, said Gustavo de Carvalho, a senior researcher at the South African Institute of International Affairs.
While participating in the BRICS Plus leaders' dialogue during the final day of the Kazan summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that the collective rise of the Global South is a distinctive feature of the great transformation across the world.
"We support more Global South countries in joining the cause of BRICS as full members, partner countries or in the 'BRICS Plus' format so that we can combine the great strength of the Global South to build together a community with a shared future for mankind," Xi said.
No matter how the international landscape evolves, said the Chinese president, "we in China will always keep the Global South in our heart, and maintain our roots in the Global South."
In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Gustavo de Carvalho spoke highly of Xi's speech.
"He talks a lot about this fragmented global context and challenges that countries not only China, but also emerging countries and countries from the Global South are facing from this increasing polarization, but also positioning China to a certain degree to be able to further engage with other BRICS members when it comes to specific issues, whether it's in relation to green development, whether it's in in relation to this what he calls this high quality development, type of approach which very much comes together with narratives that we've seen here in Africa, for instance, the idea of not just engaging with trade, but also inserting the continents in a more high value portion of the global supply chains. I think that brings a very important process but also that it allows that diversity and varieties of views that we have within BRICS to still be accommodated in positions, for instance, like the ones that China presented," said Gustavo de Carvalho.
The first-ever summit of an expanded BRICS took place from Tuesday to Thursday in Kazan, the capital city of western Russia's Republic of Tatarstan.
BRICS began with Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, and has now evolved into an influential international cooperation mechanism with an expanded membership.
Besides the countries that officially joined the BRICS family on Jan 1, 2024, over 30 countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Türkiye and Azerbaijan have either formally applied for or expressed interest in the membership.
China plays key role in pursuing true multilateralism: expert
