Xi's BRICS speech charts path forward

President Xi Jinping's remarks at Monday's virtual BRICS Summit powerfully articulate the principles of openness, inclusiveness and shared prosperity that are greatly needed to chart a common way forward in a turbulent era, experts said.

BRICS countries should act on the BRICS Spirit of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, jointly defend multilateralism and the multilateral trading system, advance greater BRICS cooperation and build a community with a shared future for humanity, Xi told the summit from Beijing.

Xi's proposals on openness, win-win cooperation and solidarity for common development highlight the constructive path forward, said Tahir Farooq, editor-in-chief of Daily Ittehad Media Group and Pakistan Economic Net. Instead of isolation and division, China is advocating unity, fairness and cooperation that benefit all, he added.

Farooq said that Xi's vision of a community with a shared future for humanity "shows the world how China seeks to promote fairness, equality and global progress". In a world where international rules are being undermined, China's call to safeguard the United Nations-based order and give greater voice to the Global South reflects both responsibility and leadership, he added.

Khalid Taimur Akram, executive director of the Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future in Islamabad, said that Xi's message is both inspiring and practical, demonstrating China's wisdom and strength in leading BRICS through global challenges.

"By emphasizing multilateralism and opposing unilateralism, Xi highlighted the role of China as a defender of international justice and a true partner for the Global South. He made it clear that China is not only thinking about its own progress, but also about the growth and opportunities for all countries," Akram said.

In his statement, Xi made three proposals: Uphold multilateralism to defend international fairness and justice, uphold openness and win-win cooperation to safeguard the international economic and trade order, and uphold solidarity and cooperation to foster synergy for common development.

Shameem Ahmad Nawber, an Afghan scholar and deputy director at the Institute for Digital Economy and Artificial Systems in Xiamen, Fujian province, said the president's call for multilateralism and openness provides a crucial counter-narrative to the rising threats the world is facing today.

By demanding a greater voice for the Global South and championing development-oriented cooperation, his vision validates the BRICS' own initiatives to forge a more equitable, multipolar digital future and dismantle technological dependencies, Nawber said.

Dinna Prapto Raharja, founder of Jakarta-based think tank Synergy Policies, said that BRICS provides the hope that amid unilateral disruptions from countries wishing to gain the most from world cooperation, there is a cooperation framework that the emerging economies can depend on.

She said that "a stable geopolitics and trust for cooperation are key for economic growth", and China, as the largest BRICS economy, is expected to take more steps to ensure that equality and social justice are served among members.

Akram from the Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future said that Xi's speech demonstrates China's forward-looking vision and reflects the country's deep commitment to fairness, peace and mutual cooperation among nations. Xi's advancement of the Global Development Initiative and the Belt and Road Initiative indicates that China is investing in common prosperity and helping other nations develop.

In response to President Xi's speech, Poppy Sulistyaning Winanti, a professor of international relations at Universitas Gadjah Mada in Indonesia, said there are several ways in which BRICS can play a more significant role in safeguarding the international economic and trade order, ensuring that Global South countries participate in international cooperation as equals and share in the fruits of development.

The steps include the promotion of a multipolar world order, the establishment of alternative financial mechanisms, reducing reliance on the US dollar and advocacy for climate responsibility, the professor said.

She noted that BRICS promotes the principles of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities in addressing the climate crisis, which allows Global South countries to adopt green and sustainable policies while pursuing their economic development and growth.