In a decisive call to action, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged BRICS nations to unite in defense of multilateralism during the recent virtual summit, underscoring the New Development Bank's (NDB) $40 billion impact and introducing the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) as a roadmap for a fairer global system.
Over the past decade, the NDB has financed more than 100 projects across infrastructure, clean energy and digital-development sectors in member countries, turning a shared vision into tangible results. Walking through the NDB headquarters in Shanghai on the Chinese mainland earlier this year, Xi described the institution as "a pioneering initiative for the unity and self-improvement of the Global South," and highlighted its role in reforming and improving global governance.
At Monday's virtual summit, Xi laid out three key proposals: uphold multilateralism to defend international fairness and justice; uphold openness and win-win cooperation to safeguard the international economic and trade order; and uphold solidarity and cooperation to foster synergy for common development.
Among these, upholding multilateralism stands out as the cornerstone of BRICS cooperation. "History tells us that multilateralism is the shared aspiration of the people and the overarching trend of our time," he said, calling for extensive consultation and joint contribution, and for a United Nations–centered system underpinned by international law.
He highlighted practical steps: promoting the democratization of international relations to amplify Global South voices; reforming global governance to mobilize resources for shared challenges; and maintaining a World Trade Organization–centered trading system while resisting protectionism.
The GGI, first unveiled during last week’s Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, aims to galvanize joint global action for a more just and equitable global governance system. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres praised the initiative for underscoring the importance of safeguarding the international system with the UN at its core.
Celso Amorim, chief advisor to the President of Brazil, echoed the sentiment, noting that in an era of tariff abuses and rule-bending, deeper solidarity among Global South and BRICS members is critical—and that the GGI carries significant value as a unifying framework.
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China calls on BRICS countries to jointly defend multilateralism
cgtn.com
