The BRICS Summit emits a strong voice for development and revitalization

On that day, the 15th meeting of BRICS leaders was held in Johannesburg, South Africa. At a time when some Western "small circles" are constantly creating division and confrontation in the world, the BRICS countries, on behalf of the vast number of developing countries, adhere to the path of openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation. This is the biggest reason why more and more countries hope to join the BRICS cooperation mechanism.No matter how much resistance there is, the positive, stable, and positive force of the BRICS countries will flourish.

On the morning of August 23rd local time, the 15th meeting of BRICS leaders was held at the Sando Conference Center in Johannesburg. South African President Ramaphosa presided over the meeting.This is a group photo of the leaders of the five countries during the meeting. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Xueren

"Companions on the path of development and revitalization"

Johannesburg on the 23rd attracted global media attention, and the BRICS summit was held here on the same day. According to the schedule released by the South African side, the BRICS leaders' meeting began at 11:00 local time, but a large number of media reporters set up cameras at the entrance of the venue early in the morning, waiting for the leaders to arrive. At the same time, the media center, which can accommodate hundreds of people, is also packed to capacity. The Global Times reporter noticed that there are a large number of peers from developing countries, especially African countries, in the media center. South African Radio journalist Tabo Trevor Morosa told Global Times reporters that he is very concerned about the results of this summit and hopes that BRICS cooperation can go further.

We cannot form cliques and package our "family laws and regulations" as international rules.

He told Global Times reporters that the BRICS countries play an important role in global security, and all parties need to further strengthen cooperation in this field. Eric, a Kenyan journalist, told the Global Times that he was eager for BRICS countries to strengthen economic cooperation with Africa. "The COVID-19 and geopolitical crisis have had a huge impact on the African continent, and we are more eager for stability and development than ever before.". Eric said he looks forward to China's assistance in African economic development, especially in areas where China has advantages such as infrastructure, digital economy, and new energy.

There are two paths before the international community and human society now: one is competition and confrontation, and the other is peaceful development. The attitude of the international community is very clear, and the BRICS countries represent the correct direction of the future international order. Especially in the current situation where the West is engaged in large-scale confrontations, the BRICS countries must adhere to the general direction of peaceful development, follow the path of common security, universal security, and comprehensive security, so that the entire human race can form a community with a shared future.

"The center of important forces in a multipolar world"

Other leaders of BRICS countries also delivered speeches at the summit, all of whom have high hopes for promoting development through cooperation. South African President Ramaphosa said at the summit that the BRICS countries have been the main driving force for the global economy, trade, and investment in the past few decades. The BRICS countries represent unity, progress, inclusiveness, and a more just and equitable world order. He stated that the BRICS countries are firmly committed to safeguarding the interests of southern countries and are willing to cooperate with all countries that aspire to establish a more inclusive international order.

Brazilian President Lula stated at the summit that the momentum of BRICS cooperation and development inspires countries to establish a multipolar, just, and inclusive international order. He suggested that creating a single currency for commercial transactions such as trade and investment between BRICS countries can reduce our vulnerability. Indian Prime Minister Modi suggested at the summit that the BRICS countries establish a space research alliance to expand cooperation in the space field.

According to Russian news agency, Russian President Putin delivered a speech at the summit via video on the same day, stating that the BRICS countries have established an authoritative position on the global stage. "We unanimously support the establishment of a truly just and multipolar world order based on international law while adhering to the main principles of the United Nations Charter, while opposing any form of hegemony and neocolonial policies." Russia highly appreciates the efforts of the BRICS countries to peacefully resolve the situation in Ukraine. Putin stated that Russia will take over the presidency of the BRICS countries next year, and Russia plans to hold the next BRICS summit in Kazan in October 2024.

"The BRICS countries are becoming important centers of power in a multipolar world," according to Russian satellite news agency. The BRICS countries have become important growth areas for the global economy, which has naturally attracted greater attention from more and more countries around the world. Currently, 23 countries are preparing to join the mechanism in order to gain opportunities for their own socio-economic development. The report states that economic and trade cooperation between China and other BRICS countries is one of the driving forces for restoring world economic growth. In the first seven months of this year, this figure was approximately $325.7 billion, a year-on-year increase of 19.1%. Among them, China's economic growth and vast market provide enormous opportunities for the economic development of partner countries. In today's world, the stagnant West can no longer play the role of a growth engine, while the growth of China and the BRICS countries supports the recovery of the global economy.

On the 23rd, Liu Hongwu, Dean of the Africa Research Institute at Zhejiang Normal University, told Global Times reporters that the economic growth rate of "global southern" countries represented by the BRICS countries is generally higher than that of Western countries, indicating that the focus of the world economy is shifting towards developing countries. At present, dozens of countries have expressed willingness or formally proposed to join the BRICS mechanism. With the expansion of membership and economic growth of the BRICS countries, they will form a new platform for global economic development and global governance.

"Key moments"

"This summit is a crucial moment for the BRICS," Sanusha Nadu, a senior researcher at the South African Institute for Global Dialogue, told Global Times reporters. "The global South is making increasingly strong voices, hoping that the BRICS countries can play a more active role in leading the common development of countries. This is one of the important reasons why the BRICS can attract many countries.".

Professor Rajab of Suez Canal University in Egypt stated in an interview with Global Times on the 23rd that the BRICS countries are committed to promoting trade, investment, and sustainable development through win-win cooperation, which is of great significance for promoting the reform of the global governance system and enhancing the status and voice of developing countries. He said, "The role played by China in it is particularly noteworthy and respected."

The scale of this grand event held in South Africa is unprecedented. In addition to the BRICS Leaders Meeting, South Africa has also invited more than 60 leaders from African countries and "global southern" countries to attend the BRICS Africa Conference and the BRICS+Dialogue.

Wang Youming stated that the BRICS summit has a particularly strong African flavor, with the African agenda, demands, and interests running through the entire summit process. Of course, this has received unanimous agreement from other member countries. This indicates that the BRICS mechanism not only focuses on the interests of member countries, but also pays special attention to the interests and demands of developing countries, especially African countries. This indirectly demonstrates the inclusiveness and openness of the BRICS mechanism.

Data shows that over the past 20 years, Chinese companies have built and upgraded over 10000 kilometers of railways, nearly 100000 kilometers of roads, nearly a thousand bridges, nearly a hundred ports, as well as numerous hospitals and schools in Africa, creating a total of over 4.5 million job opportunities. Tan Zheli, a senior researcher at the University of South Africa, told Global Times reporters that in recent years, China's relationship with Africa has been continuously advancing. One important reason for this is that China has seen and filled the gap left by Western countries in Africa - insufficient infrastructure construction. Tan Zheli said that this China Africa Leaders' Dialogue will become another milestone in China South Africa relations and China Africa relations.

[Global Times' special correspondent to South Africa, Zhao Juehui, Xie Wenting, Global Times' overseas correspondent, Huang Peizhao, Lin Sen, Global Times reporter, Ding Yazhi, Liu Yupeng, Chen Kang]