BEIJING (Dispatches) — Chinese President Xi Jinping opened a meeting of leaders of major developing countries on Thursday by saying the world should oppose unilateral sanctions and efforts by some countries to maintain their political and military power.
Xi’s remarks at the virtual meeting of the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, known collectively as “BRICS,” reflect China’s tacit backing of Russia in the Ukraine crisis and its desire to form an international alliance opposed to the U.S.-led liberal democratic order.
The BRICS meeting comes amid rising concerns over the global economic outlook and a growing political divide between China and India.
Nations need to “reject the Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, oppose unilateral sanctions and abuse of sanctions, and reject the small circles built around hegemonism by forming one big family belonging to a community with a shared future for humanity,” Xi was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency.
While no agenda has been issued for the two-day talks, Ukraine is likely to feature heavily in the background. China has refused to condemn Russia’s invasion while criticizing sanctions brought against Moscow. India has bought large amounts of Russian oil at a heavy discount, and South Africa abstained in a United Nations vote condemning Russia’s actions.
China has sought to use the BRICS meetings to further its vision of an alliance to counter the U.S.-led liberal democratic world order while expanding its economic and political footprint.
Xi said imposing sanctions could act as a “boomerang” and a “double-edged sword,” and that the global community would suffer from “politicizing, mechanizing and weaponizing” global economic trends and financial flows.
“Economic globalization is an objective requirement for the development of productive forces and an irresistible historical trend,” Xi said.
%MCEPASTEBIN%BEIJING (Dispatches) — Chinese President Xi Jinping opened a meeting of leaders of major developing countries on Thursday by saying the world should oppose unilateral sanctions and efforts by some countries to maintain their political and military power.
Xi’s remarks at the virtual meeting of the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, known collectively as “BRICS,” reflect China’s tacit backing of Russia in the Ukraine crisis and its desire to form an international alliance opposed to the U.S.-led liberal democratic order.
The BRICS meeting comes amid rising concerns over the global economic outlook and a growing political divide between China and India.
Nations need to “reject the Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, oppose unilateral sanctions and abuse of sanctions, and reject the small circles built around hegemonism by forming one big family belonging to a community with a shared future for humanity,” Xi was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency.
While no agenda has been issued for the two-day talks, Ukraine is likely to feature heavily in the background. China has refused to condemn Russia’s invasion while criticizing sanctions brought against Moscow. India has bought large amounts of Russian oil at a heavy discount, and South Africa abstained in a United Nations vote condemning Russia’s actions.
China has sought to use the BRICS meetings to further its vision of an alliance to counter the U.S.-led liberal democratic world order while expanding its economic and political footprint.
Xi said imposing sanctions could act as a “boomerang” and a “double-edged sword,” and that the global community would suffer from “politicizing, mechanizing and weaponizing” global economic trends and financial flows.
“Economic globalization is an objective requirement for the development of productive forces and an irresistible historical trend,” Xi said.