Chinese President Xi Jinping was in Kazan, the capital of Russia's Republic of Tatarstan, for the 16th BRICS Summit from Tuesday to Thursday, where he also had in-depth exchanges with world leaders on BRICS cooperation, bilateral relations and the current international situation, demonstrating the high-quality development of greater BRICS cooperation.
During a small-group meeting of the 16th BRICS Summit on Wednesday, Xi pointed out that the enlargement of BRICS is a major milestone in its development, and a landmark event in the evolution of the international situation.
The Chinese president then attended a large-group meeting, where he made important statements on the future development of BRICS and put forward five suggestions.
"As the world enters a new period defined by turbulence and transformation, pivotal choices lies ahead for BRICS members: allow the world to descend into the abyss of disorder and chaos, or steer it back on the path of peace and development? The more tumultuous our times become, the more we must stand firm at the forefront, exhibiting tenacity, demonstrating the audacity to pioneer and displaying the wisdom to adapt, so as to open a new horizon in the high-quality development of greater BRICS cooperation," said Xi.
He called on the BRICS members to: build a BRICS committed to peace and act as defenders of common security; build a BRICS committed to innovation and act as pioneers of high-quality development; build a BRICS committed to green development and act as promoters of sustainable development; build a BRICS committed to justice and act as forerunners in reforming global governance, and build a BRICS committed to closer people-to-people exchanges and that advocates for harmonious coexistence among all civilizations.
Participating in the "BRICS Plus" leaders' dialogue during the final day of the Kazan summit, Xi said, "The collective rise of the Global South is a distinctive feature of the great transformation across the world. Global South countries marching together toward modernization is monumental in world history and unprecedented in human civilization. Standing at the forefront of the Global South, we should use our collective wisdom and strength, and stand up to our responsibility for building a community with a shared future for mankind."
Xi said that "BRICS Plus" countries should uphold peace and strive for common security, reinvigorate development and strive for common prosperity, and together promote the development of all civilizations and strive for harmony among them.
"No matter how the international landscape evolves, we in China will always keep the Global South in our heart, and maintain our roots in the Global South. We support more Global South countries in joining the cause of BRICS, 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.
President Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday held their third meeting this year.
"Looking back at this shared journey, China-Russia relations have forged ahead despite wind and rain. We have achieved many groundbreaking results and found the right way for two big, neighboring countries to get along with each other, characterized by non-alliance, non-confrontation, and not targeting any third party. The world today is confronted with accelerated changes unseen in a century, resulting in a fast-changing and turbulent international landscape. But I'm confident that the profound and lasting friendship between China and Russia will not change, nor will their sense of responsibility as major countries for the world and for the people," said Xi.
"Over the past 75 years, Russia-China ties have developed into a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, and set a fine example for state-to-state relations of the world today," said Putin.
Xi and Putin agreed to take the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War next year as an opportunity to promote a correct view of World War II history and jointly safeguard global strategic stability and international fairness and justice.
The global community paid extensive attention to Xi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bilateral meeting on Wednesday, their first formal one in five years.
"It is in the fundamental interests of both countries and their peoples for China and India to keep to the trend of history and the right direction of bilateral relations. The two sides should strengthen communication and cooperation, handle disputes and differences properly, and facilitate each other's pursuit of development aspirations. The two countries should also shoulder their international responsibility, set themselves as an example in boosting the strength and unity of developing countries, and contribute to promoting multipolarity of the world and greater democracy in international relations," Xi said during the meeting.
"Excellency [Xi Jinping], it's very nice to meet you. We believe that the India-China relations not only is critical to the peoples of the two countries, but also carries great significance to peace, stability and the development of the region and the world at large," said Modi.
During the meeting, Xi and Modi 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.
During his time in Kazan, Xi had in-depth bilateral exchanges with world leaders, including general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Xi returned to Beijing on Thursday midnight.
Prior to his departure, the head of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and senior officials from the Russian Foreign Ministry gathered at the Kazan International Airport to see off the Chinese president.
The event is the first-ever summit of an expanded BRICS, which 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 including Thailand, Malaysia, Türkiye and Azerbaijan have either formally applied to join or expressed interest in membership.
Global South nations unite for new journey with strengthened BRICS
