BRICS OPPOSES EXCEPTIONALISM: CHINA

BRICS OPPOSES EXCEPTIONALISM: CHINA

Subject: International Relations

Context: Virtual BRICS Foreign Ministers was held recently. At the end of the meeting two statements were issued on the “Meeting of the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs/International Relations” and another on “BRICS Joint Statement on Strengthening and Reforming the Multilateral System”.

Concept:

What has China said on BRICS and its intended objectives?

• BRICS countries pursue openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, and reject “bloc politics and ideological confrontation”.
• The BRICS countries, as emerging markets and developing countries, are indeed different from a few developed countries in their attitude towards multilateralism and multilateral cooperation.
• The BRICS countries stress the need to observe the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and oppose exceptionalism and double standard.

What do these statements indicate/suggest?

• These statements clearly reveal that China is opposed to the formation of the Quad grouping amongst the US, India, Australia and Japan.
• It believes this group is targeting or harming the interests of third parties.

BRICS:

• BRICS is an acronym for the grouping of the world’s leading emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
• In 2001, the British Economist Jim O’Neill coined the term BRIC to describe the four emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
• The grouping was formalised during the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers’ in 2006.
• South Africa was invited to join BRIC in December 2010, after which the group adopted the acronym BRICS.
• The Chairmanship of the forum is rotated annually among the members, in accordance with the acronym B-R-I-C-S.

Cooperation Mechanism:

• Track I: Formal diplomatic engagement between the national governments.
• Track II: Engagement through government-affiliated institutions, e.g. state-owned enterprises and business councils.
• Track III: Civil society and People-to-People engagement.