BRICS will be the geopolitical rival of the G7.
(Baonghean.vn) - China will call on BRICS members to protect the economic interests of developing countries and to be an open political force counterbalancing the West.
The TASS news agency, citing a Financial Times report, said that at the BRICS summit in South Africa this weekend, China will call on other BRICS members (Brazil, India, Russia, South Africa) to cooperate closely, making the bloc a formal geopolitical rival of the Group of Seven (G7) developed economies.
"If we expand BRICS to take responsibility for a portion of global GDP, like the G7, then our voice on the international stage will become stronger," an anonymous Chinese representative told the Financial Times.
However, the Financial Times also reported that the expansion of BRICS membership is causing increasing tension between China and India. The disagreement lies in whether BRICS should remain a neutral bloc to protect the economic interests of developing countries, or become a political force openly opposing the West.
Meanwhile, the Financial Times also quoted an unnamed Brazilian diplomat as saying that Brazil supports clearer rules and criteria for admitting new members.
South African President Cyril Ramaposa has extended invitations to leaders and heads of government from more than 60 countries to attend the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, from August 22-24.
Host country President Cyril Ramaphosa, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will attend the summit in person, while Russian President Vladimir Putin will participate online. Few details have been revealed about what the BRICS leaders plan to discuss, but expanding the bloc by adding new members is expected to be a priority on the agenda. This is in addition to the discussion of the bloc's common currency and the possibility of establishing a common payment system.
