BRICS members back China’s call for expansion

Although the other members of the group of developing countries supported the proposal, they have yet to name the candidate countries

The meeting took place against the backdrop of Russia’s war on Ukraine and China used the meeting to criticise Western sanctions

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Photo: Handout

Published: 5:30pm, 20 May 2022Updated: 5:38pm, 20 May 2022

The BRICS countries have backed a Chinese suggestion that the bloc should be expanded, but have not named the candidate countries.

A joint statement by the foreign ministers of the bloc – whose other members are Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa – following an online meeting on Thursday supported its first expansion in a decade, but said they needed to clarify relevant guiding principles, standards and procedures.

Although no candidate countries have been named, earlier this year Argentine President Alberto Fernández said he wanted his country to join, and analysts have said Indonesia is another likely candidate.

Brazil, Russia, India and China initially formed the bloc in 2009, with South Africa joining in 2010.

The meeting of five foreign ministers, including Russia’s Sergey Lavrov, was the first since his country invaded Ukraine in February.

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi repeated Beijing’s position calling for peace talks and criticised Western countries for providing arms to Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Russia.

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