The five countries that make up the BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – will meet next Thursday (23) in a videoconference chaired by Chinese dictator Xi Jinping. This time, the “big five” should discuss the accession of other countries, according to Chinese spokesman Wang Wenbin.
A preparatory meeting for the 14th BRICS Summit took place on May 19, followed by discussions with representatives from Argentina, Egypt, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Senegal and Nigeria. . These are therefore possible candidates for new group members.
According to Wenbin, the Chinese objective through the BRICS expansion is to “inject more positive energy into a turbulent and challenging world” and “to encourage the international community to take an interest in global development with practical actions”.
The Global Times, an English-language periodical under the responsibility of the Chinese Communist Party-controlled periodical, China Daily, justified that Xi Jinping’s intention is to build a counterbalance to the G7, the group of the richest countries in the world, and organize a “system of equitable global governance rather than a system dominated by American hegemony”.
At the BRICS Summit, China also intends to put on the agenda the decoupling of the international market from the dollar, as stated by Wenbin. With the intention of promoting the Chinese currency, Beijing is, at the same time, trying to prepare itself to face possible international sanctions if there are greater conflicts in Taiwan, such as the punishments suffered by Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine. The matter, however, instead of strengthening the BRICS, has faced divergences between the countries in the grouping.
China has limitations
In the newspaper aligned with the Chinese dictatorship, China Daily, economist Chen Fengying assesses that the BRICS “must protect themselves against possible friction caused by different demands or conflicting interests among the participants”.
At the May meeting, the presence of differences between the countries was evident. Regarding the war in Ukraine, of the 14 participating countries, seven voted in favor of the UN resolutions, six abstained and Russia, naturally, voted against.
Another barrier to China’s imperialist intentions is the affinity of Southern countries to Western priorities. In addition to the already members of the BRICS, India and South Africa, other participants of the last meeting – Argentina, Indonesia and Senegal – were invited by the G7 to participate in the meeting of the group that will take place in Germany, on the 26th. according to the formation of an “anti-G7” front.
China’s individual fight with the G7
Through the BRICS, China intends to reinforce the individual fight of the Asian country with the richest in the world. In May, Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made an extensive statement to the group of seven richest countries. “The G7 makes absurd allegations, grossly interferes in China’s internal affairs, maliciously slanders and defames China,” Lijian said. He also urged the group to “safeguard true multilateralism”, stop “creating confrontation and chaos in the world”.
The episode came after the announcement of the G7’s concern about the process of selecting the new president of Hong Kong, in relation to fundamental freedoms in the former British colony.
In June last year, the Group of Seven also questioned China about human rights in the Muslim-majority Xinjiang region, called for Hong Kong to maintain a high degree of autonomy, and stressed the importance of peace and stability across the Straits. from Taiwan. In response, the Chinese embassy in London said it was firmly opposed to the proposal by the G7 countries. “They distorted the facts and exposed the sinister intentions of some countries such as the United States,” said the Chinese representatives.
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