Chinese President Xi Jinping’s attendance at the BRICS summit in India is of strategic significance for steering the high-quality development of greater BRICS cooperation, said Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday, 13 September 2026.
The South Asian trip also promoted strength through unity among Global South countries, Wang said.
Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks while briefing reporters on Xi’s visit to India to attend the 18th BRICS Summit on Saturday and Sunday.
- Xi’s visit injected fresh impetus into BRICS cooperation.
The Chinese president summed up the development of BRICS over the past two decades with three key phrases: self-reliance and self-strengthening, standing together through wind and rain, and fruitful outcomes, Wang said.
Standing at a new historical starting point, Xi called on BRICS countries to be pioneers in advancing innovation-driven development, upholding peace and stability, facilitating mutual learning between civilizations, and reforming and improving global governance, Wang said.
In 2027, the BRICS will usher in its fourth “China Year.” Xi announced that China will take this opportunity to work with all parties to build consensus, open up prospects for the future, and embark on the third golden decade of BRICS cooperation, Wang said.
- Xi’s visit empowered the Global South
Xi put forward four important proposals to strengthen the Global South: jointly defending the rule of law in international affairs and ensuring that international law and international rules are applied to all; holding high the banner of multilateralism and upholding the authority and role of the United Nations; staying committed to a people-centered development philosophy and striving to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; and jointly advancing security governance and tackling both traditional and nontraditional security threats, Wang said.
Focusing on the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, Xi proposed initiatives including the BRICS initiative of AI-empowered new industrialization, the open source and inclusive AI initiative, the digital industry cooperation initiative, and the intelligent manufacturing cooperation initiative, Wang said.
- Xi’s visit guided China-India relations
Xi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted a candid and in-depth exchange of views on strategic, long-term and directional issues concerning China-India relations, Wang said, noting that the most important consensus they reached was that China and India should be partners.
The Chinese president said China and India can draw on each other’s strengths, support one another, help each other succeed and pursue common development, Wang said.
The leaders of the two countries agreed to jointly maintain peace and tranquility in border areas, while the two countries will support each other as rotating chair of the BRICS, Wang said.
FOUR CORE PRIORITIES FOR BRICS
Addressing Session 1 of the 18th BRICS Summit, President Xi Jinping called on member states to stand firmly on the right side of history and lead global progress as pioneers of a new era.
Reporting on Xi’s address to the Summit, The Axion Asia news service outlined the President’s four core priorities to shape the BRICS coalition’s forward momentum:
- Driving Technological and Economic Innovation:
Positioning BRICS as a trailblazer in innovation-driven development to fuel sustainable global growth.
- Safeguarding Global Security:
Acting as a stabilizing force dedicated to upholding international peace and security.
- Fostering Cultural Exchange:
Serving as a bridge for mutual learning, dialogue, and respect among diverse civilizations.
- Overhauling Global Governance:
Spearheading efforts to reform and modernize global institutions to better reflect a multipolar world.
President Xi emphasized that by fulfilling these roles, BRICS can effectively address contemporary global challenges and drive meaningful governance reform on the world stage.
Sources:
Xinhua News Agency, Sep 14, 2026. https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-09-14/FM-Xi-s-BRICS-trip-boosts-cooperation-empowers-Global-South-1QpGkRL5ELm/p.html
The Axion Asia, Sep 13, 2026. https://www.facebook.com/AxionAsia/posts/pfbid0uFsTQwcEucxqfWHbp2u2d364X8Hs4k2VHZkLFBGK6gAaJkWESzbvyiHjLmE1V4Bjl
