Brics countries can promote peace, stand against 'new cold war': China's Wang Yi

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on the Brics countries to promote peace, stand against a "new cold war" and "take greater responsibilities and actions" in world affairs during a multilateral meeting with his counterparts in the Global South.

Foreign ministers from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa were joined by their counterparts from new members Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, at the two-day summit in Nizhny Novgorod in Russia, which assumed chairmanship of the Brics grouping in January.

In his remarks on Monday, Wang welcomed the bloc's expansion and celebrated interstate cooperation over the past year, which he said has been "remarkable, rapid and strong".

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"The strategic significance and political effects of the 'greater Brics' should be fully leveraged to make Brics a new type of multilateral cooperation mechanism based on emerging markets and developing countries, and [one that is] open and inclusive to the world," he said, according to a report from Chinese state news agency Xinhua.

The combined Brics gross domestic product in purchasing power parity terms amounts to about one-third of world GDP, exceeding that of the Group of Seven.

Wang said the Global South was "gaining strength through unity" and should promote "equitable and orderly" multipolarism to set the tone for future global development.

"Brics should adhere to independence and objectivity, promote the international community's consensus on peace, and oppose the instigation of a 'new cold war' under any pretext," he added.

Foreign ministers from India, Egypt, South Africa, China, Russia, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Iran pose for a group photo during the Brics summit on Monday. Photo: Reuters alt=Foreign ministers from India, Egypt, South Africa, China, Russia, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Iran pose for a group photo during the Brics summit on Monday. Photo: Reuters>

Wang again called for a ceasefire in Gaza and urged support for Palestine's full membership at the United Nations. Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine based on "equal participation from all parties and fair discussion of all peace proposals" would be supported by China, he said.

In a separate meeting between Wang and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, the two agreed to step up cooperation on the multilateral platform.

"Developing China-Russia relations is a strategic choice made by both sides based on respective fundamental interests, aligning with global trends and the tide of the times, it is not targeted at any third party and will not be disturbed by external forces," Wang said.

Beijing was willing to "fully support" Russia's chairmanship of the bloc, and jointly "promote the unity and self-improvement of the Global South", he said.

"China is willing to work with Russia to maintain strategic focus, explore cooperation potential, respond to external pressures, and promote the sound and sustained progress of bilateral relations."

Wang and Lavrov last met three weeks ago, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan. The talks came days after President Vladimir Putin's first state visit after his re-election, during which he visited Beijing and Harbin.

On Monday, Wang also met with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and called on both sides to promote the "further alignment" of their development strategies. The talks followed Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday.

China was willing to "elevate the comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level", Wang said, adding that it had always prioritised Brazil in its diplomacy.

"China values Brazil's significant influence in the Latin American region and is willing to jointly promote cooperation between China, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the Southern Common Market," he said.

Vieira said the two countries shared similar stances on many issues, and that Brazil valued China's influence in international affairs, according to a Xinhua report.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral ties, as both sides pledged strengthened exchanges and cooperation in various fields, including trade and economy.

Wang also met Iranian acting foreign minister Ali Bagheri Kani, again expressing condolences for the deaths of Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi and foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in last month's helicopter accident.

Bilateral relations have "maintained healthy and steady development" and benefited from the two states' "long-standing traditional friendship" and "high-level mutual political trust", Wang said.

"China stands ready to work with Iran to view bilateral relations from a strategic perspective, steer the development course of bilateral relations, solidly advance pragmatic cooperation in various fields, comprehensively deepen coordination in regional and international affairs, and contribute more to regional and world peace and stability."

Kani said Iran - which is participating at the summit as a full member for the first time - was willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China in international and regional affairs, jointly uphold multilateralism, and seek solutions to global issues.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

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