Focus on Arts and Ecology

August 25, 2023 

Chinese President Xi Jinping is back in Beijing after a trip to South Africa for a historic summit of the BRICS countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

The leaders announced the first expansion of the group since 2010. Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have been invited to join at the start of 2024. Xi called the expansion historic and a “new starting point for BRICS cooperation."

President Xi also said members choose their development paths independently “and march in tandem toward modernization.”

Leaders of the new countries are hailing the expansion. Dozens of other nations have asked to join. University of Johannesburg researcher Legend Asuelime tells CGTN they want to address the imbalance between the U.S.-led West and the developing world.

According to CGTN commentator Shahid Hussain, the expansion can bring a new era of global pluralism. Commentator Yang Chuqiao writes that the BRICS summit will help build a sustainable future.

(Sources: China Report)