Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, said on Wednesday that “group politics,” “bloc confrontation,” and military alliances will only lead to “wars and conflicts,” urging the international community to oppose hegemonic practices in what appeared to be a veiled criticism of the US-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which Beijing has long accused of inciting Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
“The tragedies of history show that hegemony, group politics, and bloc hostility do not provide peace or security; they only lead to wars and conflicts,” Xi added.
Xi appeared to use his keynote address at the BRICS Business Forum opening ceremony on Wednesday to restate China’s condemnation of NATO and support for Russia – without explicitly naming either. Since the start of the war, China has declined to openly criticize Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine or declare it an invasion.
“The historical trend of openness and development will not reverse course, and our shared desire to meet challenges together through cooperation will remain as strong as ever,” Xi said, urging BRICS nations to rise to the challenge and forge ahead with determination toward the goal of building a community with a shared future for humanity.
Since its creation in 2006, the BRICS mechanism, which includes five major rising economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has traveled a beautiful journey, becoming a positive, stable, and constructive force in international affairs.
“We should embrace cooperation and coordination in order to jointly safeguard world peace and stability,” Xi said, adding that peace, as humanity’s shared cause, should be promoted and protected by all. He urged all countries to uphold the UN Charter’s promise and carry out the job of peacekeeping.