Citing an anonymous source, reports indicate that Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Brazil, marking a notable first in the coalition’s history.
The BRICS nations, primarily led by China and Russia, are set to meet in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 6th and 7th. Brazil has taken over the presidency, transitioning from Russia, and held its last high-level meeting in Kazan last October. Xi is viewed as a key leader for the summit, alongside host Vladimir Putin, contributing to a joint statement that emphasizes support for Russia and addressing threats from groups like Hamas and Iranian proxies.
BRICS, a coalition formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, also includes Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the UAE, and Indonesia. Recently, it expanded to include 13 additional “partner” countries, such as Nigeria, Cuba, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan.
The coalition aims to cultivate a “multipolar” world, which, some argue, mainly seeks to diminish American influence globally, often aligning with some of the world’s more oppressive governments. A significant goal for BRICS is the establishment of a shared currency to rival the US dollar and to push for its members to gain permanent seats on the UN Security Council, something currently held by Russia and China.
This Tuesday, China announced plans to send a Prime Minister to represent the country in Rio instead of Xi. Reports suggest that Xi is under no pressure to attend, particularly since he has met with Brazil’s socialist president, Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva, twice over the past year. A Brazilian source expressed dissatisfaction over China’s lack of support for hosting Xi, noting that Lula’s last visit occurred in May, with hopes that Xi would reciprocate soon.
Lula, who is among the oldest leaders in BRICS at 79, was unable to attend the Kazan summit after a domestic accident. However, he visited Beijing less than a year later.
A Hong Kong-based newspaper mentioned that Brazilian officials have been urging China to send a substantial delegation to the upcoming summit. Ceasing to be silent, Lula’s foreign policy advisor, Celso Amorim, stressed that “without China, BRICS isn’t BRICS,” emphasizing the necessity for Xi’s attendance at future events.
So far, neither China nor Brazil has clearly communicated Xi’s attendance at the gathering. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised patience regarding updates about participation, asserting that information will be shared in due time.
Nonetheless, Guo, a spokesperson for the ministry, defended BRICS as a movement for progress, advocating for global peace and fairness.
He remarked that both China and Brazil are substantial global players and representatives of the Global South, highlighting China’s support for Brazil’s presidency in BRICS and the potential for collaboration.
BRICS has been navigating through challenging times recently. In May, South Africa faced international backlash when the US offered asylum to white South Africans suffering persecution, which President Cyril Ramaphosa denied, labeling it a false narrative. This incident occurred amid denouncements from President Donald Trump regarding the allegations.
The South African situation set the stage for additional complications, especially as Iran has found itself in military conflicts this month. On July 13, Israel announced military actions in response to Iranian nuclear developments, targeting key military leaders and installations. Tensions escalated, culminating in comments from Trump about US military success against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
During these conflicts, Iran’s Foreign Minister made an appeal for global support, arguing that threats extend beyond just Iran itself. However, most BRICS allies have seemingly remained unresponsive to the call for support.
While the Russian government showed a willingness to host Iranian representatives, Putin’s administration appears hesitant to engage in further military actions, particularly given the ongoing issues in Ukraine. China has pushed for peace resolutions at the Security Council, but this initiative lost momentum following Trump’s announcement about a ceasefire.
BRICS issued a statement expressing concern over the violence associated with Iranian attacks, urging an end to hostilities and a return to diplomatic solutions. However, beyond those words, it hasn’t developed significant action to back Iran, which raises questions about its effectiveness on the world stage.
Guo reaffirmed China’s long-standing friendship with Iran, expressing readiness for continued cooperation beneficial to both nations and global stability.
