President calls on nations to remain committed to peace and innovation, and to 'forge ahead with one heart and one mind'

President Xi Jinping and other leaders of BRICS member countries pose for a group photo on Wednesday before a plenary session of the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia. Photo/Brics-Russia2024

President Xi Jinping presented a broad vision on Wednesday for BRICS countries to stay committed to peace, innovation, green development, justice and closer people-to-people exchanges, saying that the grouping should serve as a vanguard for advancing global governance reform.

Speaking to other leaders attending the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, the Chinese president called for shared efforts to develop the grouping into "a primary channel for strengthening solidarity and cooperation among Global South nations".

Russian President Vladimir Putin presided over the event at the Kazan Expo. The leaders at the summit adopted the Kazan Declaration and outlined the criteria for the category of a BRICS partner country.

"The enlargement of BRICS is a major milestone in its history, and a landmark event in the evolution of the international situation. At this summit, we have decided to invite many countries to become partner countries, which is another major progress in the development of BRICS," Xi told the summit's open plenary session. "We must build on this milestone summit to set off anew and forge ahead with one heart and one mind."

He said that BRICS countries must "all act as defenders of common security".

"Only by embracing the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security can we pave the way for universal security," Xi said.

As for the Ukraine crisis, Xi reiterated the need to uphold the three key principles of no expansion of the battlefields, no escalation of hostilities and no fanning of flames, as well as the need to strive for swift de-escalation of the situation.

Noting the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and the flames of war in Lebanon, Xi made an appeal for promoting an immediate cease-fire and ending the killing in the conflicts.

"We must make unremitting efforts toward a comprehensive, just and lasting resolution of the Palestinian question," he emphasized.

Xi also announced a set of measures to boost the innovation drive among BRICS countries, including steps to establish a BRICS Deep-Sea Resources International Research Center, a China Center for Cooperation on Development of Special Economic Zones in BRICS Countries, a China Center for BRICS Industrial Competencies and a BRICS Digital Ecosystem Cooperation Network.

China is willing to expand cooperation with BRICS countries in green industries, clean energy and green mining, and to promote green development through the entire industrial chain, he stressed.

President Xi said that BRICS countries should act as forerunners in reforming global governance.

International power dynamics are undergoing profound changes, but global governance reform has lagged behind for a long time, he said.

"In light of the rise of the Global South, we should respond favorably to the calls from various countries to join BRICS. We should advance the process of expanding BRICS membership and establishing a partner country mechanism, and enhance the representation and voice of developing nations in global governance," he said.

Xi also stressed the need to deepen fiscal and financial cooperation among BRICS countries.

"The New Development Bank should be expanded and strengthened," he said. "We must ensure that the international financial system more effectively reflects the changes in the global economic landscape."

Xi announced that China will implement a capacity-building program for BRICS digital education, open 10 learning centers in BRICS countries in the next five years, and provide training opportunities for 1,000 local education administrators, teachers and students.

Putin highlighted the need for the BRICS countries to strengthen cooperation in areas such as technology, education, efficient resource development, trade and logistics, finance and insurance. "Additionally, we must significantly increase the scale of investments," he said.

BRICS countries are ramping up interaction in an effort to expand barrier-free e-commerce, Putin added.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told the gathering that the Kazan summit "serves as an opportunity to harness our collective strength to build a safer, more prosperous and equitable world".

"In an interconnected world, the challenges faced by one nation affect all nations. Through solidarity, we seek to advance a unified effort and mutual support among nations," he said.

Before the open plenary session, Xi and other BRICS leaders also engaged in small-group deliberations.

Xi's remarks

? The enlargement of BRICS is a major milestone in its history, and a landmark event in the evolution of the international situation.

? It is for our shared pursuit and for the overarching trend of peace and development that we BRICS countries have come together.

? We should enhance the exchange of governance experiences among BRICS countries, and fully harness the untapped potential for cooperation in areas such as education, sports and the arts, so that our diverse cultures can inspire one another and illuminate the path forward for BRICS.