The BRICS + 6 summits, which brought together the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and six other emerging economies, concluded last week with a joint declaration that emphasized the need for multilateralism, cooperation and dialogue in addressing global challenges. However, the summit also highlighted the deepening rift between China and the US, as the two superpowers clashed over issues such as trade, human rights, cybersecurity and regional security.
China’s President Xi Jinping used the occasion to showcase his vision of a “community of shared future for mankind”, which he said was based on mutual respect, equality and win-win cooperation. He also called for the reform of the global governance system to better reflect the interests and voices of developing countries.
China bans the use of iPhones in government agencies. The order was given to officials at central government agencies not to use Apple’s iPhones and other foreign-branded devices for work or bring them into the office. The ban came at such a critical time – ahead of an Apple event next week, at which Apple is expected to launch a new line of iPhones and other Apple products. With this ban, Huawei is expected to take executive dominance in China.
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So far, China and Russia are technically out of the G20 and won’t be attending this year’s summit in India. Mexico will also not be attending. And even though the Indians are hosting the summit this year, the Indian PM said he won’t be attending the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and didn’t give any serious reason why.
When asked what he thought was responsible for the Chinese and Russian leaders’ decision to skip the summit, India’s External Affairs Minister, Jaishankar rightly said their decision has nothing to do with India. Truly it has nothing to do with India. It has everything to do with Agreements to consolidate on BRICS and move forward without delay.
It’s like dating the wrong partner in a relationship and suddenly finding the right one. You might want to be considerate and take it easy with withdrawal, but sometimes, delay can be dangerous. It gets to a point where you just go right on ahead and call it off once and for all, so you can concentrate and build your new relationship and jointly make it succeed. This is what I believe is going on. The key BRICS arrowheads seem to have made up their minds to sever ties with the entangling old order, so they can focus more on building a formidable alternative to the aging Unipolar world order.
Can you imagine that Russia and Saudi Arabia, America’s one-time strong ally, are going ahead with their voluntary oil production cuts of 1.3 million barrels per day, despite America’s best efforts and pressure on Saudis not to go that route. Today, Senior officials from the Biden Admin are on their way to Saudi Arabia to see if they can figure out what in the world is going on.
I bet they won’t. Because, like I said earlier, it’s game on with BRICS. You can’t have that much concentration of power in one place – BRICS +6 and not put structures in place to consolidate. It’s happening before our eyes and I doubt that G20 and most of the other unipolar-affiliated organizations will ever be the same again, after this year’s events.
The US, however, was not impressed by China’s diplomatic charm offensive. The US delegation, led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, accused China of engaging in “coercive and unfair” economic practices, violating human rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, undermining democracy in Taiwan and elsewhere, and threatening regional stability in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. Blinken also criticized China for its lack of transparency and accountability in handling the COVID-19 pandemic and urged other countries to join the US in holding China to account.
The summit exposed the growing divergence between China and the US on their visions and values for the world order. While China seeks to expand its influence and leadership through initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the US seeks to counter China’s rise and defend its primacy through alliances such as the Quad, the AUKUS and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The two sides also have different views on issues such as climate change, nuclear proliferation, human rights and democracy.
The BRICS plus 6 summits did not result in any major breakthroughs or agreements between China and the US. Instead, it showed that the Sino-US tension has reached a new high, and that the prospects for cooperation are dimming. The summit also raised questions about the role and relevance of BRICS in a changing world.
While BRICS was originally conceived as a platform for cooperation among emerging economies with common interests and challenges, it now faces internal divisions and external pressures that undermine its cohesion and effectiveness. The BRICS plus 6 summits may have been an attempt by China to revitalize BRICS and expand its influence, but it also revealed the limits and challenges of such an endeavor.