President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech titled “Seeking Development Through Solidarity and Cooperation and Shouldering Our Responsibility for Peace” at the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug 23, 2023.
Following below are some of the main points he spoke on:
- BRICS is an important force in shaping the international landscape. We choose our development paths independently, jointly defend our right to development, and march in tandem toward modernization. This represents the direction of the advancement of human society and will profoundly impact the development process of the world.
- China has consistently acted on the BRICS spirit of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, and taken BRICS cooperation to new heights in support of our five countries’ development.
- China has upheld fairness and justice in international affairs, stood up for what is right on major international and regional issues and enhanced the voice and influence of emerging markets and developing countries.
- BRICS countries invariably advocate and practice independent foreign policies. We always address major international issues based on their merits, making fair remarks and taking fair actions.
- BRICS countries share extensive consensus and common goals. No matter how the international situation changes, our commitment to cooperation since the very beginning and our common aspiration will not change.
- Help reform global governance to make it more just and equitable, and bring to the world more certainty, stability and positive energy.
- We should deepen business and financial cooperation to boost economic growth. Development is an inalienable right of all countries, not a privilege reserved for a few.
- Focus on practical cooperation, particularly in such fields as digital economy, green development, and supply chain, and bolster economic, trade and financial exchanges.
- China will set up a China-BRICS Science and Innovation Incubation Park for the New Era to support the deployment of innovation results.
- Explore the establishment of a BRICS Global Remote Sensing Satellite Data and Application Cooperation Platform to provide data support for agriculture, ecological conservation and disaster reduction in various countries.
- Expand political and security cooperation to uphold peace and tranquility. As a Chinese saying suggests, “Nothing is more beneficial than stability, and nothing is more detrimental than turmoil.”
- International security is indivisible. Attempts to seek absolute security at the expense of others will eventually backfire.
- The Ukraine crisis has evolved to where it is today because of complex reasons. What is pressing now is to encourage peace talks, promote de-escalation, end the fighting, and realize peace.
- Jointly fend off risks and develop AI governance frameworks and standards with broad-based consensus, so as to make AI technologies more secure, reliable, controllable and equitable.
- Need to make good use of mechanisms as the BRICS seminar on governance, the BRICS forum on people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and the Women Innovation Contest to strengthen the bond between our people.
- China would like to propose that BRICS countries expand cooperation on education, enhance the role of the BRICS alliance for vocational education, explore and set up a cooperation mechanism on digital education.
- Strengthening global governance is the right choice if the international community intends to share development opportunities and tackle global challenges. International rules must be written and upheld jointly by all countries based on the purposes and principles of the U.N.
