Dear Colleagues,

First, please allow me to convey H.E. Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s greetings to you all and our thanks to India for the considerate arrangements for this meeting. China will actively support the endeavors of India as the BRICS Chair and work together with all parties for fruitful results in this year’s BRICS cooperation.

The world is now undergoing accelerated transformation unseen in a century, and witnessing a trend toward deepening multipolarity and the collective rise of the Global South. In the meantime, the undercurrents of unilateralism and protectionism are surging, and hegemonism and power politics are becoming increasingly rampant, posing severe challenges to the international order. President Xi Jinping pointed out that in these tumultuous times, we must stand firm at the forefront and build BRICS into a primary channel for strengthening solidarity and cooperation among Global South nations, a crucial platform against hegemonism and power politics, and a vanguard for advancing global governance reform. China believes that under the current circumstances, it is all the more important for BRICS countries to strengthen solidarity and cooperation, and bolster the forces for world peace, stability and progress.

BRICS countries should uphold the basic norms governing international relations. The U.N. Charter is the fundamental guide for handling international relations and an important cornerstone for the stability of the international order. Since the beginning of this year, certain countries have flagrantly used force against Venezuela and Iran, forcibly seized control of or even assassinated leaders of sovereign states, and imposed blockade and threats against Cuba. These acts seriously violate the basic norms of international relations such as sovereign equality and non-interference in internal affairs. If they were left unchecked, the world would fall back into the law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak. China maintains that BRICS countries should show firm resolve in upholding the U.N.-centered international system, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter. In the face of power politics and bullying, we should determine the BRICS position based on the merits of the issue and make the BRICS voice heard. Amid headwinds and countercurrents, we must stay on the right path of cooperation, promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and join hands to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

BRICS countries should promote the political settlement of hotspot issues. China has always maintained that differences and disputes between countries should be resolved through dialogue, consultation and peaceful means. For some time, the situation in the Middle East has escalated sharply, seriously undermining peace and stability in the region and beyond. The root cause of this crisis lies in the fact that the United States and Israel, in violation of international law, launched military strikes against Iran. China firmly opposes this and has been working tirelessly for ceasefire and peace. President Xi Jinping has put forward four propositions on safeguarding and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, contributing a Chinese solution to the crisis. China maintains that the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of countries in the Middle East, including the Gulf states, should be truly respected, the safety of their personnel, facilities and institutions be truly protected, and the freedom and safety of navigation in international straits be effectively guaranteed. The current situation is at a critical juncture between war and peace. We should unswervingly adhere to the direction of political settlement, maintain the momentum of ceasefire and negotiations without backsliding, and strive for the early restoration of stability in the Middle East and the Gulf region.

The Palestinian question has always been at the core of the Middle East issue and should under no circumstances be marginalized. China calls on all relevant parties, especially Israel, to fully comply with the ceasefire agreement, achieve a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, and implement the two-State solution. On the issue of Lebanon, the current round of conflict between Lebanon and Israel is essentially a spillover of the conflict in Iran. We hope that the relevant parties will responsibly maintain the momentum of ceasefire and negotiations, and resolve the dispute through political and diplomatic channels. On the issue of Syria, China supports the early restoration of peace and stability in Syria. We hope that the Syrian transitional government will take effective measures to combat terrorism and earnestly address the concerns of the international community. China is ready to continue working with the international community to play a constructive role in cooling down the situation and achieving lasting peace in the Middle East.

BRICS countries should jointly promote the stable development of the world economy. A certain country has undermined the international economic and trade order by wantonly erecting tariff barriers, seeking decoupling and disrupting supply chains. It has also triggered turmoil in energy and financial markets by provoking conflicts and escalating tensions. The vast number of Global South nations has suffered deeply from that and aspires to an external environment conducive to development. BRICS countries should uphold the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core, safeguard the basic principles of the WTO such as the most-favored-nation treatment, and resist all forms of protectionism. We should continue to put development at the center of the international agenda, accelerate the implementation of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, and strengthen dialogue and build consensus on launching the formulation of the post-2030 global development agenda. We should join hands to deepen cooperation in energy and mineral resources, infrastructure, and industrial and supply chains, and work together to build an open world economy. As of May 1 this year, China has fully implemented zero-tariff treatment for 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations. We are ready to further open our market to more Global South nations and share development opportunities with them.

BRICS countries should uphold the overall solidarity of the Global South. Following the expansion of BRICS, there are more diverse demands and greater difficulties in coordination. It is only natural that differences or even contradictions may arise on certain issues. Some external forces are attempting to seize this opportunity and exploit hotspot issues to create discord and hype the narrative that BRICS is losing its voice and becoming less relevant. We must be soberly aware of this and not be misled by schemes aimed at sowing division. or be disturbed by pressures to take sides. BRICS countries have come together in the shared pursuit of strength through unity and by following the prevailing trend of world peace and development. We must remain true to our founding mission of cooperation, treat one another with mutual respect, and strive in the same direction so that specific differences or contradictions would not undermine the broader cause of BRICS solidarity. We should build on common ground, stay focused on cooperation, concentrate our efforts on properly managing BRICS own affairs, and lead the way well for the Global South.

Let us pool strength, stay united, and forge ahead with determination. China is ready to work with all BRICS countries to open up new prospects for high-quality development of greater BRICS cooperation and make greater contributions to safeguarding world peace and promoting common prosperity.