Xi calls for BRICS to play a bigger role in world governance
XIAMEN, China (AP/Reuters) — Five major emerging economies opened a summit Monday to map out their future course, with host Chinese President Xi Jinping calling on them to play a bigger role in world governance, reject protectionism and inject new energy into tackling the gap between the world’s wealthy and developing nations.
BRICS countries strongly deplore North Korea’s nuclear test but the problem over its nuclear program should only be settled through peaceful means and dialogue, the countries said in a draft communique seen by Reuters on Monday.
The draft communique, expected to be issued at a BRICS meeting in China, also called upon all countries to fully implement the Paris climate agreement.
“We need to make the international order more just and equitable,” he told the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa in his opening address. “Our ever closer ties with the rest of the world require that our five countries play a more active role in world governance. Without us, ... many challenges cannot be effectively resolved.”
Xi said they should “speak with one voice” to jointly present their solutions to global problems and safeguard their common interests.
He also called on his BRICS partners, Brazilian President Michel Temer, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and South African President Jacob Zuma to oppose a growing tide of protectionism across the world. The leaders are holding their annual summit in the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen through Tuesday.
Xi wants BRICS to play a more important role in international affairs, even as some observers suggest its power is waning given rivalry between China and India and the economic woes of Brazil, Russia and South Africa.
“BRICS country cooperation is not a talking shop but a task force that gets things done,” Xi said in a speech to BRICS business leaders Sunday. “Our goal is to build a big market of trade and investment, promote smooth flow of currency and finance, improve connectivity of infrastructure and build close bonds between the peoples.”
The five nations all broadly support free trade and oppose protectionism, although China in particular has been accused of erecting barriers to foreign competition as its own companies buy up others overseas. But Xi has positioned himself as a champion of globalization at a time when his US counterpart Donald Trump is renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement and pulled the US out of a planned trade deal with Pacific nations.
Xi told the other leaders on Monday that they had “yet to fully tap the potential of BRICS cooperation.”
A meeting between Xi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to take place Tuesday.
On Sunday, Xi met on the sidelines with Russian President Vladimir Putin and discussed North Korea’s latest nuclear test – its sixth and most powerful yet, which has cast a shadow over the summit hosted by Pyongyang’s only major ally, China. The official Xinhua News Agency said they agreed to “appropriately deal with” it, without elaborating.