At the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio, Chinese Premier Li Qiang called on the bloc to become the “vanguard in advancing global governance reform” during the plenary session on peace, security, and governance reform. He highlighted the urgency posed by a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape, unprecedented in a century where international rules are under strain and multilateral institutions falter.
Premier Li delivered a strong message that BRICS must champion sovereign equality, extensive consultation, solidarity, and shared benefits. He emphasized that tackling global challenges requires broad consensus, mutual respect, and practical cooperation rather than power politics and confrontation.
Stressing that BRICS represents the leadership of the Global South, Li encouraged member states to uphold independence and responsibility. He proposed actionable steps: safeguarding peace through peaceful dispute resolution, promoting development cooperation in emerging sectors, and fostering cultural exchanges to build mutual understanding across civilizations. BRICS leaders echoed Li’s call, acknowledging the bloc’s growing influence as a key platform for advocating Global South interests.
In addition, Li announced concrete initiatives to deepen BRICS ties: the establishment of a China‑BRICS research centre on new quality productive forces and the rollout of scholarships to cultivate talent in telecommunications and industry across member nations.
China stands ready to join hands with other BRICS countries to promote global governance in a more just, equitable, efficient and orderly direction, working collectively to build a better world, Li said.
Premier Li’s speech reinforced BRICS’s mission: to defend peace, foster sustainable development, and reform global governance, not in isolation, but as a united, inclusive bloc promoting multipolar cooperation.
