During the second day of the BRICS 2026 Summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the need for enhanced cooperation among Global South countries, unveiling five initiatives aimed at bolstering ties among emerging economies. Xi underscored the importance of shaping global rules inclusively, advocating for the principles of international law, sovereign equality, non-interference, and peaceful conflict resolution. He rejected the notion of “might makes right” and called for the equal application of rules without double standards.
The proposed initiatives by China center on artificial intelligence, trade and investment, the digital economy, intelligent manufacturing, and the development of science and technology talent. One key proposal is the creation of a BRICS AI open-source community to foster collaboration on large language models and to establish an inclusive AI ecosystem. Additionally, China suggested a trade and investment facilitation initiative, which would include forming partnerships for BRICS special economic zones and launching a new BRICS Forum on Trade in Services.
The digital cooperation aspect of the initiative outlines plans for establishing a BRICS digital ecosystem cloud platform, alongside efforts to provide digital skills training and facilitate technology exchanges. In the realm of intelligent manufacturing, China expressed its support for the development of smart factories and the establishment of common standards to modernize the manufacturing sector.
Focusing on the cultivation of science and technology talent, the fifth initiative proposes the establishment of a BRICS engineer cultivation alliance and youth exchange programs. These efforts are designed to promote innovation and the development of skilled professionals, further strengthening the collaborative ties among BRICS nations.