Xi Jinping promotes an idea of a far-reaching BRICS
that looks beyond existing member states.
by ADAM
GARRIE
September 3, 2017, 15:59389 Views
Chinese President Xi Jinping has welcomed his BRICS
colleagues and observer states to the opening of the 9th annual BRICS summit
in Xiamen.
During his speech President Xi called for a more
inclusive BRICS that would see Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa
cooperating more intensely with other nations in order to open up mutually
beneficial economic opportunities for all parties.
Xi said,
“We five countries should open more to each other,
expand converging interests in this process, take an inclusive approach and
share opportunities, so as to create even brighter prospects for growing the
economies of the five countries”.
He added,
“Only openness delivers progress, and only
inclusiveness sustains such progress”.
In a call for wider cooperation he encouraged members
to seize the opportunity of participating in building important foundations for
large future endeavours, Xi said,
“We should get more emerging market and developing
countries involved in our concerted endeavours for cooperation and mutual
benefits”.
Xi also discussed how the BRICS nations could work to
enhance cooperation in the One Belt–One Road initiative. After called One
Belt–One Road a win-win platform XI said,
“The Belt and Road Initiative is not a tool to advance
any geopolitical agenda but a platform for practical cooperation. It is not a
foreign aid scheme, but an initiative for interconnected development which
calls for extensive consultation, cooperation and shared benefits”.
China’s approach to this year’s BRICS summit is
related to its overall outlook on global cooperation as encapsulated by One
Belt–One Road. Whereas some seek greater integration of day to day
administration issues within and between BRICS countries, China’s approach
leans increasingly on creating expansive and inclusive opportunities that will
encourage greater participation in investment and trading initiatives between
the BRICS and friendly non-member states.
Some of these years’s goals include promoting e-commerce as well as what China calls the ‘Blue
economy’. Blue economy initiatives seek to promote investment in
energy, shipping and tourism across the world’s seas, with a focus on Asia.
By promoting a broader, internationalised version of
the BRICS, China hopes to both draw existing members into wide reaching
initiatives that do not require any particular changes in domestic policies,
while sending a clear message to any would-be hold-outs, particularly India,
that the aims of BRICS as well as One Belt–One Road are broader in scope than
the agenda of any one member state.
Xi continued along the theme of not imposing on other
states while not being held hostage to the particular agenda of any one state
in saying,
“In terms of BRICS cooperation, decisions are made
through consultation (and) not by one country. We respect each other’s model of
development, accommodate each other’s concern and work to enhance strategic
communication and mutual trust.
“Given difference in national conditions, history and
cultures, it is only natural we may have some differences in pursuing our
cooperation. However with strong faith in cooperation and enhancing
collaboration the BRICS countries can achieve steady progress in our
cooperation”.
The BRICS summit is in session through the 5th of
September.
Now watch Xi Jinping’s full speech at the opening of
the BRICS summit
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