China’s Xi criticizes sanctions at meeting of BRICS nations

BEIJING

Xi Jinping, the Chinese President, opened a meeting with leaders from major developing countries on Thursday. He said that the world should reject unilateral sanctions and attempts by some countries to retain their military and political power.

Xi’s comments to the virtual meeting of leaders from Brazil, Russia India, China, South Africa, and South Africa, collectively called “BRICS”, reflect China’s tacit backing for Russia in the war on Ukraine and its desire form an international alliance against the U.S.-led Liberal Democratic Order.

The BRICS meeting takes place amid growing concerns about the global economic outlook as well as a growing political divide between India and China.

According to the official Xinhua News Agency quote, Xi said that nations need to “reject Cold War mentality and block confrontation, oppose unilateral Sanctions and abuse of Sanctions, and reject the small circle built around hegemonism through forming one large family belonging to a community which has a shared future for mankind.”

The agenda for the two-day talks has not been released, but Ukraine is likely a prominent participant in the background. China has refused condemnation of Russia’s invasion, while criticizing the sanctions imposed on Moscow. India has purchased large quantities Russian oil at a substantial discount, and South Africa did not vote in a United Nations referendum condemning Russia’s actions.

Along with Xi are Narendra Modi (Indian Prime Minister), Vladimir Putin (Russian President), Cyril Ramaphosa (South African President) and Jair Bolsonaro (Brazilian President).

China has used the BRICS meetings as a platform to promote its vision of an alliance that would counter the U.S.-led liberal democracy world order and expand its economic and political reach.

That has produced few tangible results, but Xi remains committed to the idea of an alternative – and principally authoritarian – mode of global governance, investing heavily in countries such as Cambodia while cracking down on civil rights in Hong Kong and boosting its military to assert its territorial claims in the South China Sea and threats to annex Taiwan by force.

Xi delivered a speech to the BRICS Economic Summit, Wednesday, saidThe conflict in Ukraine “sounded an alarm to humanity”, Russia continues its neutrality and supports its ally Russia.

Xi saidImposing sanctions could be a “boomerang”, and a double-edged sword, and the global community would be affected by “politicizing mechanizing and weaponizing global economic trends and financial flow.”

“Economic Globalization is an objective requirement to the development of productive forces, and an irresistible historic trend,” Xi said.

Bolsonaro didn’t mention any country in a recording of his video. said”The current international environment is a concern because of the risks for trade and investment flows to stability of energy supply chains, and investment.”

“Brazil’s response is not to isolate itself from these challenges. He said that we have tried to strengthen our economic integration.

The BRICS group was formed in 2009 when the countries were viewed to be the potential engine of future global economic growth.

South Africa and Brazil have experienced their economies fall into crisis since then. China’s growth has declined sharply and Russia has been embroiled in its invasion and the retaliatory economic sanctions imposed from the West.

China and India have been fighting over their disputed border, as well as New Delhi’s defense partnership with the U.S. and Australia in what is called “The Quad.” In 2020, there was a major standoff along the frontier that resulted in casualties for both sides.