While hosting the BRICS summit on Thursday (June 23), Chinese President Xi Jinping in his opening address called on the five-member grouping (China, Russia, India, Brazil and South Africa) to oppose “the abuse” of sanctions, in an apparent jibe at the United States.
Jinping said, “We need to encourage the international community to practice true multilateralism and uphold the international system with the UN at its core and the international order underpinned by international law”.
He urged to “reject the Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, oppose unilateral sanctions and abuse of sanctions, and reject the small circles built around hegemonism by forming one big family belonging to a community with a shared future for humanity.”
The same thought was reiterated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who scolded the West for fomenting the global crisis.
Russia has been slapped with multiple economic sanctions after Russia announced the decision to invade Ukraine this year on February 24.
The Chinese President said to reject “small circles”, it appeared to be a veiled reference to the Quad, a grouping of the US, Japan and Australia and India. Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, is aimed at countering China militarily and diplomatically in the “Indo-Pacific” region, particularly in the South China Sea.
Apart from the Quad, Beijing has been critical of AUKUS (US, UK, Australia) alliance, alleging that it is aimed at containing China’s rise.
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Jinping further said that the BRICS has shown resilience and vitality in the current global crisis. He said that over the past year, the world has faced multiple challenges, such as the continued spread of COVID-19, slow-paced world economic recovery and global security issues.
Along with Jinping and Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also took part in the 14th BRICS summit.
Xi said, “Facing the formidable and complex circumstances, BRICS countries have embraced the BRICS spirit of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, enhanced solidarity and coordination and jointly tackled the challenges.”
“The BRICS mechanism has demonstrated resilience and vitality. BRICS cooperation has achieved sound progress and results,” he said in his speech posted on the website by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
BRICS nations account for more than 40 per cent of the global population and nearly a quarter of the world’s gross domestic product and 16 per cent of the global trade.
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