BRICS Summit: Chaotic Assembly, No Achievements Against the U.S.

Here is an illustration symbolizing the BRICS nations gathered around a table with trade and cooperation themes.(Made by ChatGPT)

By Lin Heli - China Expert

[People News] The expanded BRICS summit of heads of state took place from October 22 to 24 in Kazan, Russia. In addition to member countries Russia, China, India, Brazil, and South Africa, heads of state and senior officials from 36 other countries and international organizations attended. The main highlight was Putin, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, boasting this as Moscow’s grandest international event to date.

BRICS countries collectively represent 45% of the world’s population and 35% of global GDP, far surpassing the G7, the group of the world’s wealthiest Western countries. Putin and Xi Jinping have consistently claimed they represent the Global South, positioning themselves as ready to replace the U.S.-led Western economic dominance of the past 80 years.

The CCP’s “permanent core” leader, Xi Jinping, attended amid ongoing rumors of his diminishing power. However, he refrained from embracing Putin or reiterating the “no limits” cooperation between Russia and China. Ironically, despite this stance, the CCP is once again tied to Russia’s fate, as it was during the Korean War. In reality, Chinese military enterprises, through intermediary companies, including those registered in Hong Kong, supply high-tech raw materials to the Russian military and even permit the establishment of a high-tech drone factory for the Russian military within China.

"Anti-U.S. Bloc" Awaits U.S. Election Results

Also in attendance was Kim Jong-un of North Korea, whose regime allegedly dispatched thousands of troops to support Russia in Ukraine, though they ultimately served as cannon fodder. The CCP doesn’t want the Ukraine conflict to drag on indefinitely, having proposed peace solutions with Brazil earlier this year. Prime Minister Modi of India also put forth a peace proposal, but Putin rejected it.

Putin is now reportedly pinning his hopes on the U.S., specifically Trump, possibly regaining the White House in two weeks. The expectation is that Trump, who has a friendly relationship with Putin, would reject NATO’s unwavering support for Ukraine and instead endorse a “land-for-sovereignty” deal, where Ukraine would cede key eastern cities to Moscow in exchange for a ceasefire.

Another insidious move by the “anti-U.S. bloc” involves supplying Iran with drones containing Chinese and Russian chips and other high-tech components. These drones have been effective in Ukraine and Israel. By disrupting global order, Iran and North Korea, as longstanding members of the “Axis of Evil,” aim to divert Washington’s focus and military resources away from countering Russia or China.

Self-Interest Dominates BRICS Members

The fact remains that BRICS countries have self-interests that hinder genuine cooperation. For instance, Chinese oil companies exploit Russia’s need to sell energy at discounted rates due to Western sanctions. Xi’s primary concern is the U.S. using financial sanctions to expel Chinese financial companies from the dollar payment system, which would result in immediate losses worth billions of dollars.

The relationship between China and India within BRICS remains strained due to unresolved border disputes. Meanwhile, recent BRICS entrants Egypt and Ethiopia are historical enemies, and major player Saudi Arabia has yet to formally join, while Argentina recently withdrew.

No Tangible Results from the BRICS Summit

Russia and China were most eager to use this summit to announce a new currency for international trade, a blow to “dollar hegemony.” However, the joint declaration was disappointingly vague, with statements like, “We reaffirm support for building a strong and effective global financial safety net with the IMF as its core,” and a vague “commitment to improving the international monetary and financial system,” delivering no real results.

In fact, President Putin’s failure to withdraw Russian assets from U.S. and European banks before his invasion of Ukraine over two years ago has resulted in massive funds still frozen under Western control. NATO has even stated that these “ill-gotten gains” won’t be returned to Moscow after the Ukraine issue is resolved.

For China, the situation poses similar risks. Many state-owned enterprises and families of high-ranking officials have substantial assets and real estate investments in the U.S. and Europe. If the PLA were to initiate conflict with Taiwan or in the South China Sea, “dollar hegemony” would be an inescapable hurdle. Oligarchic organizations like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which disregard universal values, UN human rights principles, and transparent, clean business practices, are dominated by tyrants like Putin, Xi, and Kim Jong-un. Despite their anti-West rhetoric, they disregard the dignity and welfare of their citizens. The BRICS summit’s hollow posturing, where each leader struggles to play the role of a strongman, ultimately lacks a meaningful place in the global order.

(Reposted from Radio Free Asia)