BRICS expansion, a win for the Global South

context: The major BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) expansion with six new countries joining is a sign it is transforming into an organisation representing the nations of the Global South. Chinese experts also see the expansion as a creative alternative to the existing global power structure.

Wang Yi 王毅 Foreign Minister described the role and status of the Global South at a press conference during the Two Sessions on 7 March 2024.

Wang said that a stronger BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa)

  • means a growing force for peace and increasing international support for justice
  • should not be seen as a challenge

Wang said that BRICS expansion reflects

  • the collective rise of the Global South, which
    • takes up over 40 percent of the world economy, changing the global economic landscape
    • is no longer the 'silent majority,' but a key force for reforming the international order
  • a world evolving faster toward multipolarity

China, as per Wang

  • was, is, and will be a steadfast member of the Global South
  • is always a crucial force for the development and prosperity of the Global South
  • looks forward to jointly creating a shining 'Southern moment' in global governance