Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed five initiatives to deepen cooperation among BRICS countries in artificial intelligence, trade and investment, the digital industry, smart manufacturing, and the development of scientific and technological personnel during the BRICS summit held in New Delhi on September 12 and 13.
AI governance and trade facilitation
The initiatives include developing artificial intelligence in an open and inclusive manner, facilitating trade and investment procedures, strengthening cooperation in the digital industry, supporting smart manufacturing, and training and developing scientific and technological personnel.
It is important to accelerate the formation of a broadly agreed global governance system for artificial intelligence and ensure that new technologies light the way toward shared prosperity.
Xi called for accelerating the establishment of a global artificial intelligence governance system based on broad international consensus, while using new technologies to serve development and shared prosperity.
Calls to reform the international financial and trading system
The Chinese president called on countries of the Global South to reform and improve the international financial architecture in line with the transformations taking place in the global economy. He also urged them to steer reform of the World Trade Organization in the right direction and strengthen the role of developing countries in international economic institutions.
On security, Xi called on countries of the Global South to strengthen joint governance and address traditional and nontraditional security threats, stressing the need to protect the international legal order, uphold sovereign equality and noninterference in internal affairs, and settle disputes by peaceful means.
China and India discuss bilateral relations
On the sidelines of the summit, Xi discussed the future of relations between the two countries with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, “China and India are partners, not rivals, and represent opportunities rather than threats to each other.” He called on both sides to overcome obstacles to cooperation through mutual respect and understanding, and to advance bilateral relations while addressing border issues and maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas.
Xi said the current state of China-India relations had been achieved with difficulty and called for preserving it. He stressed that China and India, as the world’s two most populous countries and key members of the Global South, bear significant responsibility amid changes in the international order.
BRICS expansion
BRICS was established in 2006 at the initiative of Brazil, Russia, India and China. South Africa joined the group in 2011, followed by other countries since 2024. India holds the group’s rotating presidency, while the 18th summit was held in New Delhi on September 12 and 13.
