By Qiang Wei, People’s Daily
The 16th BRICS summit is expected to be held later this month in Kazan, Russia. It will be the first summit of the expanded BRICS.
The BRICS cooperation mechanism is an important platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries. Since its founding in 2006, the mechanism has continuously strengthened its cohesiveness, consolidated its foundation for cooperation, expanded its scope of cooperation and improved its influence. It has become a positive and stable force for good in international affairs.
The mechanism has developed a multi-level framework for practical cooperation in dozens of areas, including economy and trade, finance, science and technology, agriculture, culture, education, health, think tank and sister city development, becoming a constructive force in promoting global growth, improving global governance and promoting greater democracy in international relations.
By Jan. 1 this year, BRICS has expanded the number of its member countries to 10, which account for nearly half of the global population and 1/5 of the global trade. Their total economic output has overtaken that of G7 in PPP terms.
BRICS countries and the Global South share a natural bond of friendship and broad common interests. China supports BRICS countries in pursuing development and cooperation with an open mind, and welcomes more like-minded partners to join the BRICS family. Together, they can be the core driving force for open development, the construction team of global governance, the staunch for for peace, and the advocates for exchange among civilizations, thus contributing to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Strengthening solidarity and development is a consensus of the BRICS family. Today, unilateralism and protectionism are emerging, and the Cold-War mentality and zero-sum game mindset rising. Hegemonism and power politics are posing threats to world peace and stability.
Against such backdrop, the common aspiration for strengthening solidarity and cooperation, as well as upholding equity and justice is rising among emerging markets and developing countries.
Together, BRICS countries convened the Extraordinary Joint Meeting of BRICS Leaders and Leaders of Invited BRICS Members on the Situation in the Middle East with Particular Reference to Gaza, and jointly defended the common interests of the developing world in such multilateralmechanisms as the G20.
China has stressed for times that development is an inalienable right of all countries, not a privilege reserved for a few. Facing challenges, BRICS countries should be fellow companions on the journey of development and revitalization.
The BRICS family is seeing closer trade exchanges. On Sept. 22, a chemical company based in east China’s Jiangsu province shipped a batch of dyestuff worth 1.76 million yuan ($249,250) to Brazil. Thanks to the BRICS mechanism, the company deepened cooperation with its Brazilian partners. In the first eight months of this year, its exports to Brazil reached 60 million yuan. According to the Nanjing Customs in the provincial capital, Jiangsu’s exports to other BRICS countries totaled 417.23 billion yuan in the January-August period this year, up 9.7 percent year on year.
In the first quarter of this year, China’s tradewith other nine BRICS countries totaled 1.49 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 11.3 percent, accounting for 14.7 percent of China’s total foreign trade volume during the same period.
The BRICS family is committed to practical cooperation. Recently, the BRICS New Development Bank approved a loan of up to $1 billion to finance water and sanitation infrastructure development in South Africa. Since its founding, the bank has provided infrastructure and sustainable development investment worth around $35 billion to BRICS countries, with the portfolio covering clean energy, energy efficiency, transport infrastructure, water and sanitation, environmental protection, digital infrastructure and social infrastructure.
Besides, BRICS countries are also deepening their exchanges and cooperation in connectivity, aerospace and aviation, ecological conservation and dialogue on civilization.
As stressed by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, cooperation remains the only choice in the world full of serious crises and divides. The emerging markets and developing countries, represented by the BRICS countries, are working actively to achieve win-win results and implement the Global Development Initiative, becoming an important force promoting peace, stabilizing development and safeguarding security. It is believed that this force will be joined by more countries.
The annual launch of “UPanda Cinema” and the BRICS film and cultural exchange event is held in Moscow, Russia, Sept. 22, 2024. The event was joined by over 900 representatives from media organizations, film institutions, and youth groups of BRICS countries. (Photo by Xiao Xinxin/People’s Daily)
The annual launch of “UPanda Cinema” and the BRICS film and cultural exchange event is held in Moscow, Russia, Sept. 22, 2024. The event was joined by over 900 representatives from media organizations, film institutions, and youth groups of BRICS countries. (Photo by Xiao Xinxin/People’s Daily)
金砖国家，做发展路上的同行者
人民日报记者 强薇
金砖国家领导人第十六次会晤将于10月下旬在俄罗斯喀山举行，这也是金砖国家扩员后的首次峰会。
金砖合作机制是新兴市场国家和发展中国家合作的重要平台。自2006年成立以来，金砖合作机制凝聚力不断增强，合作基础日益夯实、领域逐渐拓展，影响力持续提升，金砖国家已成为国际事务中积极、稳定、向善的力量。金砖合作机制在经贸、财金、科技、农业、文化、教育、卫生、智库、友城等数十个领域开展务实合作的多层次架构，成为促进世界经济增长、完善全球治理、推动国际关系民主化的建设性力量。
今年1月1日，金砖国家正式扩员至10个成员国，扩员后的金砖国家占全球人口近一半、全球贸易五分之一，经济总量按购买力平价计算已超七国集团。金砖国家与“全球南方”拥有天然情感纽带和广泛共同利益。中国支持金砖敞开大门谋发展，张开怀抱促合作，欢迎更多志同道合的南方伙伴加入金砖大家庭，共同做维护和平的稳定力量、开放发展的中坚力量、全球治理的建设力量、文明互鉴的促进力量，携手构建人类命运共同体。
金砖“大家庭”团结发展是共识。当前，单边主义和保护主义抬头，冷战和零和博弈思维上升，霸权主义和强权政治威胁世界和平稳定。在此背景下，广大新兴市场国家和发展中国家加强团结合作、维护公平正义的共同意愿与日俱增。金砖国家团结一心，召开金砖国家领导人巴以问题特别峰会，在二十国集团等多边机制中共同捍卫发展中国家权益……中国多次强调，发展是各国不可剥夺的权利，不是少数国家的“专利”。面对各种挑战，金砖国家要做发展振兴道路上的同行者。
金砖“大家庭”贸易往来更紧密。9月22日，江苏泰丰化工有限公司一批货值176万元的靛蓝染料顺利发往巴西。在金砖合作机制的促进下，该公司加深了与巴西的合作往来，今年1—8月出口巴西的货值达6000万元。据南京海关统计，前8个月，江苏省对其他金砖国家进出口4172.3亿元，同比增长9.7%。今年一季度，中国对其他9个金砖国家共计进出口1.49万亿元，同比增长11.3%，占中国进出口总值的14.7%。
金砖“大家庭”锚定务实合作。不久前，新开发银行批准向南非提供10亿美元贷款，用于水和卫生基础设施建设。自成立以来，新开发银行已在成员国间批准约350亿美元的基础设施和可持续发展项目投资，项目组合包括清洁能源和能源效率、交通基础设施、水和卫生、环境保护、数字基础设施和社会基础设施等领域。在互联互动、航空航天、生态保护、文明对话等诸多方面，金砖国家的交流与合作也日益深入。
正如联合国秘书长古特雷斯所强调的，“在一个充满各种严重危机和分裂的世界中，合作是唯一的选择”。以金砖国家为代表的新兴市场国家和发展中国家积极开展合作，实现互利共赢，共同践行全球发展倡议，成为世界上促和平、稳发展、保安全的一支重要力量，同行者也必将越来越多。
2024年9月22日，《熊猫剧场》年度开播暨金砖国家影视文化交流活动在俄罗斯莫斯科举行，来自中国、俄罗斯、巴西、印度、南非等金砖国家的媒体影视机构代表及青少年代表900余人参加。图为中俄青少年在活动期间表演节目。人民日报记者 肖新新摄
2024年9月22日，《熊猫剧场》年度开播暨金砖国家影视文化交流活动在俄罗斯莫斯科举行，来自中国、俄罗斯、巴西、印度、南非等金砖国家的媒体影视机构代表及青少年代表900余人参加。图为中俄青少年在活动期间表演节目。人民日报记者 肖新新摄
