The BRICS Business Forum began on Tuesday (Aug 22) in Johannesburg, South Africa, to examine a variety of economic topics, including the current status of cooperation in trade and investment, increasing ties, and reducing bottlenecks among member nations.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Brazilian President Lula da Silva were among the leaders who attended the meeting. However, someone was missing.
Putin virtually addresses the event
While Russian President Vladimir Putin virtually addressed the occasion, one leader’s absence stood out, given that he was among the first to arrive in South Africa for the meeting. That was Xi Jinping, the Chinese President.
Following the speeches by Ramaphosa, Lula, and Modi, Chinese Commerce Minister Whang Wentao made a message on behalf of Xi Jinping.
Wentao criticized “countries obsessed with maintaining hegemony” for hindering developing-nation growth, calling the attempt “futile.”
Wentao, quoting Xi, urged for an end to one-dimensional conceptions of nations that categorize them as “liberal” or “authoritarian.”
Though it was obvious that Putin would not be attending the ceremony due to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for war crimes committed in Ukraine, Xi’s absence was a surprise.
So far, no reason for Xi’s absence has been given, and the officials’ deafening silence has left plenty of room for speculation.
Xi met with Ramaphosa
Earlier in the day, Xi met with Ramaphosa in preparation for the summit on just his second international trip of the year.
“Now as friends and BRICS partners, we stand together in our shared objective and quest for a better and more egalitarian world that frees the potential of all the people in the world,” said Ramaphosa in Pretoria at the opening of Xi’s state visit.
“Today, standing at a new historical starting point, inheriting friendship, deepening cooperation, and strengthening coordination are the common aspirations of the two countries, and are also the important tasks entrusted to us by the times,” said Xi.
According to officials, at least 40 countries have expressed interest in attending this summit, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, and Argentina.
South Africa will provide BRICS leaders with a proposal to increase its membership, with a decision expected at the summit’s conclusion.