On the morning of August 23rd local time, the 15th meeting of BRICS leaders was held at the Sando Conference Center in Johannesburg. The picture shows a group photo of the leaders of the five countries during the meeting. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Xueren

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In the face of unprecedented changes, the first step is to have a profound understanding and grasp of the world situation.

In 2021, two more words were added to this concept: "new".

How to understand the "new period of turbulence and change"?

Over the years, the world has not been peaceful. Some countries engage in camp confrontation and instigate a "new cold war" in politics; Economically, we will engage in decoupling and chain breaking, and build small courtyards and high walls; Militarily interfering in aggression and expanding armed alliances; Engaging in internal disease and external treatment in diplomacy, and shifting crises to external countries; Inciting division and advocating confrontation in public opinion, the international landscape is facing differentiation and reorganization. At the same time, the global epidemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and other "black swan" events have occurred repeatedly, and the uncertainties of world development have increased, all of which pose serious challenges to international security.

Living on the same Earth, no country can stand alone.

This time, the BRICS countries and more than 50 other countries are gathering in South Africa, not to draw sides or engage in camp confrontation, but to create a grand pattern of peaceful development.

Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Xueren

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In the midst of danger, there is an organic and turbulent transformation that nurtures new forces, which are emerging market countries and developing countries.

Currently, emerging market countries and developing countries represented by the BRICS are fundamentally changing the world map. Data shows that in the past 20 years, emerging market countries and developing countries have contributed as much as 80% to world economic growth; Over the past 40 years, the global share of GDP in these countries has increased from 24% to over 40%.

At this BRICS summit, six countries including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Iran, and Ethiopia became new members of the BRICS, and many other countries are knocking on the door of the BRICS. This indicates that the collective rise of emerging market countries and developing countries is unstoppable.

Of course, not all countries are happy to see this trend. Some developed countries regard development as their own "privilege", arbitrarily containment and suppression of emerging market and developing countries, leading to technological blockades, technological gaps, and decoupling of development. Whoever develops well must be restrained; Whoever catches up will trip up.

But in recent years, there has been an increase in local unrest, rooted in the imbalance of world development.He said that development is an inalienable right of all countries, not a "patent" of a few countries.

Blowing out someone else's lamp does not make oneself brighter; Blocking someone else's path will not allow oneself to go further. Individual countries that uphold their own interests and contain the development of other countries are going against the historical trend and destined to work in vain.

Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Huang Jingwen

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In order for emerging market countries and developing countries to develop well, they must find a path of modernization that suits them.

For a period of time, due to the fact that most countries that have achieved modernization are European and American countries or capitalist countries deeply influenced by Western civilization, some people have formed the illusion that modernization is Westernization and Western civilization is modern civilization. However, history has proven that if developing countries blindly copy the Western modernization model, they often find it difficult to adapt to the local conditions, leading to long-term economic stagnation and social and political turmoil.

It is better to "recite one's own scriptures" than to "take scriptures from the west". Chinese path to modernization grew out of China, breaking the myth of "modernization=westernization", and adding confidence to developing countries in exploring the path of modernization. It has been proven that the direction of modernization development cannot be avoided, but the path towards modernization is optional.

He said that he hopes that developing countries can start from their own national conditions and explore new paths to achieve modernization on the basis of drawing on the achievements of human civilization.

Is human society at a critical juncture of adhering to cooperation and integration, or moving towards division and confrontation? Is it to work together to maintain peace and stability, or to slide into the abyss of the "new cold war"? Is it moving towards prosperity through openness and inclusiveness, or is it falling into depression through hegemonic bullying? Is it to enhance mutual trust through communication and learning, or to let arrogance and prejudice deceive conscience?

Wen/Zhong Qi

Editing/Nine paragraphs

Source/People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency, etc

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