At BRICS, Xi Jinping proposes 4-point plan for peace in West Asia

At the BRICS Summit, Xi Jinping urged members to uphold the UN Charter, support a two-state solution and deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence.

Brics member states should be pioneers in maintaining global peace and stability, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Saturday, outlining four proposals for peace in West Asia, where the conflict has caused severe losses for the region.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delh (via REUITERS)

Addressing the main session of the Brics Summit, Xi said the grouping should also promote innovative development, take the lead in reforming and improving global governance, and work for mutual learning among civilisations.

Xi noted that the Brics leaders were meeting at a time of unprecedented transformation, with the Global South growing significantly and multipolarity becoming unstoppable. Unilateralism and power politics are surging, the global order is under attack and deficits in peace, security and governance are widening, he noted.

Urging Brics states to be pioneers in maintaining peace and stability, Xi said change and chaos are increasing because of the fracturing of the post-war global order and the failure to uphold the UN Charter. “The Brics countries should stand firm, uphold justice and strive to eliminate conflict and maintain peace,” he said.

Brics countries should adhere to a common security concept, oppose infringement on the sovereignty of other countries and interference in their internal affairs, and participate in resolving hotspot issues, he said.

“The situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region continues to evolve in a complex manner…I put forward four proposals for maintaining and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, aiming to call for de-escalation, an end to the conflict, and the promotion of peace,” Xi said.

“All relevant parties should adhere to the direction of a political solution and promote a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire. We must attach importance to addressing the root causes of the problems, rebuilding mutual trust among regional countries, and constructing a new security architecture.”

The Palestinian question has “always been the core of the Middle East issue”, and its fundamental solution lies in implementing the “two-state solution” and achieving peaceful coexistence between Israel and Palestine,” Xi said.

China will work with Brics states to achieve peace and tranquillity in the Middle East, he said. In the context of innovative development, Xi said the new round of technological revolution, represented by artificial intelligence, is profoundly impacting global development. “Brics countries must firmly grasp the initiative, strengthen cooperation in AI, encourage open source and open sharing, and promote pragmatic cooperation to new heights,” he added.

Xi proposed the “Brics Initiative on Artificial Intelligence Empowering New Industrialisation” and said China is willing to work with all parties to create more R&D and deepen cooperation in the industrial and supply chains. In order to reform global governance, Xi said: “They (Brics states) should support the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core, promote WTO reform, oppose the abuse of tariffs, and resist all forms of protectionism.”