‘Invitation for five countries to BRICS not to expand grouping’
BEIJING: China has invited five countries to participate as guests in next week’s BRICS Summit but this is not an attempt by Beijing to expand the grouping under a “BRICS Plus” approach, foreign minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday.
Egypt, Kenya, Tajikistan, Mexico and Thailand will join the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Summit in the coastal city of Xiamen during September 3-5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will represent India at the three-day meet.
Wang first floated the idea of “BRICS Plus” in March, when he spoke about exploring modalities for expanding the grouping and holding outreach dialogues with other major developing countries.
The approach has the potential to worry India if it turns out that it’s an attempt by Beijing to include pro-China countries within the BRICS fold.
Explaining the decision to invite the five countries, Wang referred to India’s decision at last year’s BRICS Summit to invite leaders of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic) countries.
Wang noted that President Xi Jinping had attended the dialogue with BIMSTEC leaders and respected and supported Modi’s initiative. “That dialogue was very effective,” he said.
He further referred to Russia, Brazil and South Africa inviting their neighbours when they hosted the BRICS Summits.
Wang also indirectly sought to allay apprehensions about the “BRICS Plus” approach. He said China would “explore modalities for BRICS Plus (and) hold outreach dialogues with other major developing countries”.