China Hosts 14th BRICS Summit

    Image copyright: Wikimedia Commons

    The Facts

    • On Thurs., the 14th summit of the BRICS alliance - a group comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa - commenced, hosted virtually by China's Pres. Xi Jinping

    • Xi opened the two-day talks by condemning unilateral sanctions and "hegemonic" policies, calling sanctions a "double-edged sword" and a threat to the global economy, peace, and security.


    The Spin

    Pro-establishment narrative

    Xi is using this year's summit as a platform to push anti-Western propaganda in an attempt to create an alternative to the US-led global order. The good news is that India - also a member of the US-led Quad Alliance - is unlikely to buy into his agenda, and may even oppose a hasty BRICS expansion. It remains to be seen how united the self-proclaimed alternative to Western global cooperation actually is.

    Establishment-critical narrative

    The times when the West determined right and wrong and shaped the "international order" according to its own interests are finally over. The 14th BRICS summit is an expression of hope for a multipolar order based on mutual respect. Countries like Argentina have recognized this, and it should only be welcomed that BRICS Plus could give further impetus to historic geopolitical changes.


    Establishment split

    CRITICAL

    PRO