Key Developments
On 13 September 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC said President Xi Jinping used the New Delhi BRICS summit to propose 5 cooperation initiatives, while a companion ministry statement said China linked BRICS cooperation to Global South influence, multilateralism and global governance reform.
Key Statistics
- 10 countries attended the BRICS session addressed by Xi, according to the current announcement
- 5 cooperation initiatives were proposed by Xi at the BRICS session
- 120 countries were cited as beneficiaries of China-backed development cooperation
- 2,000 projects were cited by China as implemented under its development initiatives
- 200,000 professionals were cited as trained through China-linked cooperation programs
- 53 countries were cited as covered by China’s zero tariff treatment
Main Body
On 13 September 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC said President Xi Jinping attended Session II of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi and called for stronger cooperation among BRICS countries. In a separate statement issued the same day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC said Xi framed BRICS as part of a wider Global South push for a multipolar international order.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC said Xi proposed 5 initiatives covering artificial intelligence, trade, the digital industry, manufacturing and talent development. The same ministry account said the session included leaders from 10 countries and included calls for changes to the international financial architecture and multilateral institutions.
The New Delhi remarks followed related Chinese positions set out during the same summit cycle. On 12 September 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC said Xi had described BRICS as a platform for emerging markets and developing countries, highlighted the group’s 20 years of activity and noted adoption of the New Delhi Declaration. On 2 September 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC said Xi had also urged a more equal multipolar order at a Shanghai Cooperation Organization Plus meeting.
The practical significance was that China tied its summit diplomacy to development delivery, technology coordination and institutional reform. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC said China had supported 120 countries, implemented 2,000 projects, trained 200,000 professionals and extended zero tariff treatment to 53 countries, presenting BRICS cooperation as a vehicle for economic and diplomatic coordination among developing states.
