Xi Jinping Urges BRICS to Take Peacemaking Role in West Asia Conflict
Xi Jinping called on BRICS to act as a peacemaker in the West Asia conflict, saying China is ready to work with fellow members towards that goal.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged the BRICS grouping to assume a peacemaking role in the conflict in West Asia, telling a summit of member countries in New Delhi on Saturday that China is prepared to work with its partners to that end.
Addressing the gathering, Xi said the ongoing war does not serve the common interests of the international community. He described BRICS as a leading group within the Global South and held it up as a model of self-reliance for emerging and developing economies, calling on members to pursue innovation-driven development.
BRICS brings together Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Formed in 2009, the bloc was conceived as a counterweight to a global order dominated by the United States and its Western allies. Its members account for more than 40 per cent of the world's population and close to a quarter of the global economy.
China is set to assume the BRICS chairmanship next year and will host the 19th summit of the grouping.
The New Delhi meeting comes amid a widening conflict in West Asia that has heightened concerns over the security of energy supplies and shipping lanes. Saudi Arabia temporarily shut down its East-West oil pipeline after drone attacks launched from Iraq caused injuries and damage. The conduit has gained importance as an alternative export route for Saudi crude while the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
Separately, Iran-aligned Houthi forces in Yemen have seized Perim, also known as Mayun Island, in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, strengthening their hold over the waterway at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. Together, the developments have deepened worries about the safety of vital oil and shipping routes as the broader Middle East conflict continues to escalate.