A light show for the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia on October 23, 2024. Photo: He Zhuoqian/GT

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday hailed the BRICS partner country mechanism as "another milestone" in the process of BRICS development, after Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said on Monday that Russia has received confirmations from some countries that they are ready to become BRICS partners, which means that they will grant the partner states status from January 1, 2025. 

The adding of BRICS partner countries is another landmark event after the BRICS membership expansion in terms of both solidifying "greater BRICS" cooperation and the collective rising of the Global South in the geopolitical landscape, according to Chinese experts reached by the Global Times. Also, it's anticipated that in the upcoming 2025, the BRICS mechanism will be better constructed and further enriched in content, playing a greater role in further advancing equal and orderly multi-polar world and inclusive economic globalization that benefits all, they said. 

Growing popularity

According to Russian media RT, Russian presidential aide Ushakov confirmed that nine countries will officially join BRICS as partner countries on January 1 and the BRICS remains open to like-minded partners. 

The new "partner country" status was approved at the BRICS summit in October, hosted by Russia in Kazan. The status provides for permanent participation in special sessions of BRICS summits and foreign ministers' meetings, as well as other high-level events. Partners can also contribute to the group's outcome documents, RT reported. 

"As of this time, confirmations of readiness to become a BRICS partner country have been received from Belarus, Bolivia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan," Ushakov told Russian media, "From January 1, 2025, they will officially acquire the status of BRICS partner country ... But we expect that in the near future responses will come from four more countries, to which invitations were also sent," Russian news agency Tass reported. 

The Kremlin aide added that more than 20 states, in addition to the selected partner countries, are showing interest in a systemic dialogue with the BRICS group, Tass said in a separate report.  

Commenting on Russian side's confirmation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a press briefing Tuesday that "In October, President Xi Jinping attended the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan and reached important consensus with the leaders of other BRICS countries on establishing a partner country mechanism, which is another milestone in the process of BRICS development after the historic membership expansion." 

After the summit, China has actively worked with Russia, the BRICS chair country, and implemented the mechanism with other BRICS countries. A list of BRICS partner countries was finally agreed on, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Uganda, Mao said. 

"With the partner countries on board the BRICS family, the BRICS cooperation is elevated to a new height, the BRICS mechanism has greater representation, and BRICS sees its appeal and influence grow more saliently, becoming the main platform to promote solidarity and cooperation between the Global South," the spokesperson said.  

China stands ready to work with other BRIC members and partner countries to follow the spirit of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, expand practical cooperation in various fields, advance the high-quality development of greater BRICS cooperation, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Mao said.

Wang Youming, director of the Institute of Developing Countries at the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing, told the Global Times that the nine countries, from Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America, embody a broader representation and an expanding friend circle, which would help Global South countries to jointly raise the profile and voice in the international arena.

The successful entry of nine partner countries into the BRICS family also suggests a successful application of the "BRICS Plus," proposed by China, in the development of the BRICS mechanism, Wang said.

Wang Yiwei, a professor at the School of International Relations at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times that the BRICS' growing popularity highlights the emerging economies' demand for a more just world order and reform of the global governance system, as the collective rise of the Global South takes hold.

The expert noted that at present, populism prevails within some Western countries, and they are increasingly evading their responsibilities in international affairs and failing to honor their commitments. On the other hand, sanctions imposed on Russia by the US and its allies have made many countries realize that the so-called public goods provided by the US and the West may eventually become weaponized, and that the underlying logic behind it is violent and not that well-intentioned.

Unlike some Western-found groupings, BRICS was created without any emphasis on ideological confrontation, and its growing popularity reflects the Global South's calls for inclusiveness, common development and win-win cooperation, rather than ideological confrontation, Wang Youming said. 

Under the BRICS' non-confrontational, inclusive and open approach, there is no pressure on the Global South countries to take sides, said Wang. For example, in terms of the New Development Bank, formerly known as BRICS Development Bank, BRICS countries have equal shares and voting weights regardless of the differences in their economic weights.

Brick by Brick

Looking back at the year end, the BRICS has seen multiple major breakthroughs and achievements in 2024. Against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical conflicts, the rise and growth of BRICS, which may change the world landscape, is often underestimated and overlooked, Wang Youming said. 

In January, the BRICS founded by China, Russia, India and Brazil, with South Africa joining in 2011, welcomed new members in a historic expansion. 

Meanwhile, in 2024, at least 34 countries have expressed interest to join, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at a senior BRICS meeting in early September. Countries that are on the waitlist include Malaysia, Thailand, Nigeria, Bolivia and even Turkey, which is a NATO member.

In the 18 years since its establishment, BRICS has continued to grow and develop, accounting for nearly half of the world's population, more than 30 percent of the world's economic weight and contributing more than 50 percent to world economic growth, data shows. 

Brazil will take on the BRICS presidency on January 1, 2025. The motto for the next summit in Brazil will be "Strengthening cooperation in the Global South for more inclusive and sustainable governance."

Wang Youming expects more highlights in 2025 in the BRICS cooperation with greater momentum. For example, the building of a diversified system of international finance, global efforts to reduce poverty and eliminate the polarization between Global North and South, and issues like climate change, are likely to be on the agenda of the BRICS mechanism.

The BRICS mechanism will be better constructed and further enriched in content, Wang Youming said. 

In terms of China's role in the BRICS, both experts mentioned its positive leading role.

China is the largest economy among the BRICS countries, with the potential of a huge market. In addition, in the field of digitalization, artificial intelligence, green transition, and other high-tech areas, China has a technological strength comparable to that of the US, which is of great interest to BRICS members, Wang Yiwei said. 

China has always advocated an equitable and orderly multi-polar world and inclusive economic globalization, and has implemented this in BRICS cooperation, he added. 

According to Wang Youming, China's leading role is also reflected in the fact that China has actively coordinated all parties to reach a consensus and implemented the BRICS Summit Declaration.

For example, China recently launched a China-BRICS Artificial Intelligence Development and Cooperation Center, and will 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 welcomes active participation from all interested parties.

China has often spoken out for the interests of the Global South under the platform of BRICS, which is completely different from the confrontational and hegemonic thinking from some developed countries, Wang Youming remarked.