Statement by H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, at Session II of the 18th BRICS Summit, New Delhi, September 13, 2026.

Your Excellency Prime Minister Narendra Modi,

Colleagues,

I thank Prime Minister Modi and the Indian government for hosting this meeting.

We meet at a time when changes unseen in a century are accelerating across the world. The Global South, with its collective rise, has become a key driver of world multipolarity.

At the same time, the international landscape is volatile and fraught with risks and challenges.

To bring stability to the world and make it a better place, BRICS countries must seize the historical initiative, rally the Global South, be an active, stabilizing, and positive force in international affairs, and advance the well-being of all humanity.

A world without rules is like a crossroads without traffic lights, where chaos and disorder are all but guaranteed. Fairness and justice are a universal aspiration, and international rules must be written by all countries. The logic of “might makes right” does not hold, and should have been discarded long ago.

Global South countries should jointly defend the rule of law in international affairs, safeguard the basic norms of international relations including sovereign equality, noninterference in internal affairs, and the peaceful settlement of disputes, and ensure that international law and international rules are applied to all, free from double standards.

All countries, regardless of their size, strength, or wealth, are equal members of the international community. Global South countries should hold high the banner of multilateralism, uphold the authority and role of the United Nations, support multilateral institutions in advancing reform and increasing efficiency, and ensure the equal participation of all countries in international affairs.

We should see to it that the reform of the World Trade Organization proceeds in the right direction, uphold such principles as the most-favored-nation treatment, and actively explore new rules for the future.

We should support the operation and development of the New Development Bank to facilitate Global South cooperation. The international financial architecture must be reformed and improved to increase the representation and voice of developing countries.

“To achieve great things, one should always put the people first.” Global South countries should stay committed to a people-centered development philosophy and strive to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Since China launched the Global Development Initiative five years ago, we have implemented over 2,000 projects in partnership with others, and provided training for more than 200,000 professionals, benefiting people in more than 120 countries. China is opening its door ever wider to the world.

We have granted zero-tariff treatment for all 53 African countries having diplomatic relations with China. We will continue to broaden independent and unilateral opening up, and share the opportunities of China’s development with other countries.

As global challenges keep surfacing, we should adopt a holistic approach to address both the symptoms and root causes. Global South countries should jointly advance security governance and tackle both traditional and nontraditional security threats.

We should improve global climate governance and urge the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement. We should take a people-centred approach, develop AI for the positive and for good, and work faster to evolve a consensus-based global AI governance framework, so that new technologies can light the way toward shared prosperity.

Colleagues,

To accomplish great things and achieve major progress, the foundation of greater BRICS cooperation must be cemented. We should leverage our close ties with fellow emerging markets and Global South countries, uphold open cooperation for mutual benefit, safeguard stable and smooth industrial and supply chains, and foster a large integrated market. We should build incubators for innovation, upgrade traditional industries, develop emerging industries, and deploy future industries.

To this end, I wish to put forward five initiatives:

First, the open-source and inclusive AI initiative. China will be a pioneer in establishing a BRICS AI open-source community, support cooperation in developing and applying large language models, hold specialised AI seminars and training courses, and build an open ecosystem for AI.

Second, the trade and investment facilitation initiative. China proposes to establish a BRICS special economic zone partnership, under which countries can set up an intelligent portal, coordinate policies, and build a new frontier for open development.

In an effort to cultivate new drivers of economic and trade cooperation, China will hold the BRICS Forum on Trade in Services next year. We welcome your active participation.

Third, the digital industry cooperation initiative. China will push for establishing a BRICS digital ecosystem cloud platform, and conduct digital skills training, technological exchange, and industrial alignment, so as to jointly enable the development of the digital economy.

Fourth, the intelligent manufacturing cooperation initiative. China stands ready to assist fellow BRICS countries in building smart factories and developing standards and norms, and jointly promote manufacturing transformation and upgrading.

Fifth, the science and technology talent development initiative. China proposes to set up a BRICS engineer cultivation alliance for joint development of engineers and mutual recognition of competency standards. China will launch a BRICS youth exchange program for scientific and technological innovation, so as to cultivate more high-calibre talent.

Colleagues,

This year marks the launch of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan for economic and social development. It is both a blueprint for China’s development and a cooperation list for the rest of the world.

China will continue to advance high-quality development, expand high-standard opening up, implement the Global Development Initiative, and promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation to share opportunities and prosper together with all countries.

Let us work as one to promote greater BRICS cooperation and write a new chapter of strength through unity for the Global South!

Thank you.

© Xinhua News)