Xi’s words at BRICS forum hailed as he vows more support for global economy

President Xi Jinping receives the Order of South Africa, the highest decoration and the highest honor that South Africa awards to an important and friendly head of state, from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa after their talks in Pretoria, South Africa, Aug 22. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

President Xi Jinping warned on Aug 22 of the danger of a new Cold War and urged countries to strengthen solidarity and cooperation to cope with the risks and challenges the world is facing.

Xi made the remarks in a speech read out by Commerce Minister Wang Wentao at the BRICS Business Forum 2023 meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Xi said human society is approaching a critical juncture and must decide whether to maintain peace and stability or slide into the abyss of a new Cold War. Noting that today’s world is a community with a shared future, Xi said people around the planet do not long for a “new Cold War” or a “small exclusive bloc”, but an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity.

This is the inevitable progression of history and the trend of the times, he added.

Xi rebuffed attempts to deliberately create division with the assertion of “democracy versus authoritarianism” and “liberalism versus autocracy”, saying such moves can only lead to a fragmented world and clashes between civilizations.

He spoke highly of the collective rise of emerging economies and developing nations, represented by the BRICS countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — saying they are fundamentally reshaping the global landscape.

As the BRICS member countries gathered with more than 50 other nations in South Africa, the issue is not about taking sides or fostering confrontation, but about building a framework for peaceful development, Xi said. He added that China sincerely welcomes those interested in joining the BRICS cooperation mechanism.

Xi noted that China advocated increased representation and a louder voice for emerging economies and developing nations in global affairs.

China does not have the genes to seek hegemony or engage in power play, and it firmly stands on the right side of history, he said.

Speaking of China’s economy, Xi said it is resilient, with great potential and vitality, and that its positive fundamentals will not change in the long run.

Since the beginning of this year, the Chinese economy has maintained a positive momentum of recovery and improvement.

Xi emphasized China’s firm resolution to continue its high-standard opening-up, fostering a world-class, market-oriented business environment governed by a sound legal framework, and building a global network of high-standard free trade areas.

The nation will make greater contributions to the global economy and provide the international business community with even more room for development, he added.

Atul Dalakoti, executive director of the New Delhi-based Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said the message from Xi’s speech was loud and clear: China wants lasting peace and security as people desire a better life.

Dalakoti noted that while talking about the Global South, Xi mentioned the economic rise of emerging economies including the BRICS countries, and informed the world that the Chinese economy was resilient and that its fundamentals were strong. Xi further said that China was open to foreign companies, and that a market-oriented, law-based world-class business environment would be maintained and new free trade areas established.

“This is a further commitment from China to go ahead on the path of opening-up and lead the globalization push for the emerging economies of the Global South,” Dalakoti said.

Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan, executive director of the Center for South Asia and International Studies in Islamabad, said Xi’s speech vividly reflected core issues confronting the world community including emergence of a new Cold War, decoupling, de-risking, economic protectionism, denial of World Trade Organization rules, unjustified sanctions and, last but not least, the shift toward geopolitics over geoeconomics instigated by Western powers.

President Xi’s emphasis on strengthening solidarity and cooperation to cope with the risks and challenges the world is facing clearly demonstrates that China firmly believes in globalization and internationalism, thereby helping to create an equal, just, open and transparent world, which is good for all, Khan said.

Adhere Cavince, a scholar of international relations with a focus on China-Africa development cooperation, said the BRICS Summit is a formidable platform for international development cooperation, bringing hope to millions of people in the Global South.

As Xi noted in his speech, China has in the last decade introduced several ideas and concepts on practical cooperation as a way of working with international partners to deliver sustainable development, Cavince said.

“Peace and cooperation, through functional multilateralism, are the building blocks of inclusive, prosperous and sustainable development,” he said.

In keeping with President Xi’s exhortation, countries must avoid the trap of a zero-sum game, prioritize development cooperation, and champion the delivery of global public goods, he said.

“BRICS is an enabling platform for developing countries to pool and pull together out of their development challenges. As the most important partner of Africa among the BRICS countries, China should continue to champion the rights of poor countries and shape the discourse toward a more just, livable and prosperous world for all of humanity,” he said.

Lawrence Loh, director of National University of Singapore’s Centre for Governance and Sustainability, said the stance of peace and prosperity in Xi’s speech is timely and apt. The collectively inclusive, rather than mutually exclusive, approach to international diplomacy is the way forward for all nations, he said.

“The world now runs the risk of a double whammy — an East-West ideological clash and a North-South income divide. It is thus critical that advanced countries, in particular, do not polarize the world by resorting to select grouping,” Loh said.

Countries should strengthen ties to fight the common problem of economic uncertainty. Any attempts to isolate countries will be dysfunctional and will backfire eventually, Loh said.

Chen Yingqun in Beijing contributed to this story. 

Contact the writers at caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn