China’s Xi to host virtual BRICS leaders summit on June 23

Chinese President Xi Jinping will host the 14th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Summit in Beijing on June 23, the Chinese foreign ministry announced on Friday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin along with their counterparts from Brazil and South Africa, Jair Bolsonaro and Cyril Ramaphosa respectively, are expected to take part in the online summit next week, which will take place against the backdrop of Moscow’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and the Covid-19 pandemic.

China is expected to push its agenda to expand the bloc at the summit, a move Beijing has termed as “BRICS plus”, in the long-run.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying announced that the summit will be held in virtual format under the theme of “Foster High-quality BRICS Partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development”.

Xi will also attend the opening ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum in virtual format and deliver a keynote speech on June 22, Hua said in a statement on Friday. BRICS leaders are expected to attend the Forum as well.

Xi will chair the High-level Dialogue on Global Development in Beijing on June 24.

Speaking on the summit, ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin said China, which is this year’s BRICS chair, has held over 70 meetings and events in 2022 covering political, security, trade, financial, P2P and cultural fields as well as sustainable development and public health.

“BRICS have stood the test of changing the international landscape and have become an important force to be reckoned with on the international stage. As the world faces drastic changes and a pandemic both unseen in (this) century, it enters a new period of volatility and transformation,” Wang said at the regular ministry briefing on Friday.

When asked about China’s plans to expand the bloc, Wang did not give details but said leaders from emerging markets and developing countries will attend the dialogue.

“Apart from the leaders of BRICS, emerging markets and developing countries led by their leaders will also attend the event,” Wang said without naming the countries.