The expansion of the Brics was a victory for China, which now has an even stronger position within the bloc and in its projection of global power.
Second largest economy on the planet and involved in serious geopolitical disputes with the United States, China intends to use the various resentments of the expanded bloc against the developed world to rival initiatives of the G7, the group of large and rich democracies.
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The Brics become, with the entry of Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Iran, a group with 36% of world GDP, surpassing the G7.
It doesn’t matter to the Chinese that the countries on the list are bankrupt or are dictatorships – like the list itself. Respect for human rights has never been a prerequisite for the bloc.
Most of that impressive economic number comes straight from China’s strong economy. In an extended group, its internal power becomes even greater, since the position of the other members is much more fragmented.
Antagonizing the Americans
Surrounded by rival countries in Asia, China did not have, before the enlarged Brics, a group to call its own.
It will certainly use every possible opportunity to antagonize Americans in global and regional disputes, where it has now formally aligned itself with several major players – especially in the Middle East.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) even declared, in Johannesburg, where the leaders met to decide on expansion, that the Brics do not intend to enter into disputes with the G7, the G20 or the United States.
But the Brazilian government knows that the expanded group will inevitably be used by the Chinese.
One diplomat even joked about the increase in China’s internal power in the group, recalling that it is a country that “is part of the G2, and with pretensions of being the G1”. An observation beyond pragmatic.
The interest in strengthening its position within and outside the Brics was the reason that led the communist government in Beijing to pressure the other original members to accept the expansion.
At one point, the Chinese defended the entry of all 22 countries that applied to the bloc – which would make the list even more bizarre, with names like Belarus, Venezuela and Cuba.
Support from Russia and Africa
Russia, increasingly dependent on China itself and desperately looking for friends since the war broke out in Ukraine, was the first to vote for enlargement.
The weakest of the original countries and with a weakened economy, South Africa also bet on the Chinese ticket, a major trading partner, and voted in favour. He managed to bring Ethiopia, another representative of sub-Saharan Africa and the poorest member of the enlarged bloc, into the group.
Resistance from Brazil and India
India and Brazil, the two largest democracies in the bloc, resisted more and managed, at least, for the expansion to be more moderate and following “some criteria” – which were never made clear.
China’s great regional rival and with several direct border disputes, India is perhaps the country in the strangest position within the Brics.
In the formation of the group, in the first decade of the century, New Delhi believed that, within the Brics, Russia could help it contain the Chinese in some way.
Since then, Russia has weakened and India has grown stronger economically. Today, it tries to place itself as a beneficiary of the dispute between Beijing and Washington – attracting, for example, investments from American factories that are leaving China.
With a huge population (which surpassed China this year) and a growing economy, India will increasingly bet on multidimensional and non-aligned diplomacy.
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Dialogues and influence
In a weaker position, Brazil will try to follow the same line of independence, also seeking to strengthen dialogue with the United States and the European Union, while seeking to expand its influence in Latin America and Africa.
To make this clear, President Lula used his opening speech at the BRICS Leaders Summit to raise the issue of the war in Ukraine, recalling that Brazil has a long tradition of condemning violations of the territorial integrity of any country.
The mention of the war did not please the Chinese and, obviously, the Russians. But she was careful enough to avoid criticizing Moscow directly.
This juggling is an example of the rocky path in this strategy for independence — but which, in fact, seems to be the best way out.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
