KAZAN, Russia: Calling for an end to “suffering and destruction in Palestine and Lebanon,” China’s President Xi Jinping on Thursday urged BRICS member states to “uphold peace and strive for common security.”
“We should unite to form a stabilizing force for peace and seek solutions to address both the symptoms and root causes of global hotspot issues,” Xi stated during the expanded BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.
President Vladimir Putin was among the BRICS leaders in attendance, where Xi reiterated his call to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Russia launched its “special operation” in Ukraine in February 2022, leading to hundreds of thousands of casualties and displacing millions.
Earlier, Xi had urged de-escalation between Russia and Ukraine as the nearly three-year war drags on.
“We need to work towards a ceasefire in Gaza, relaunch the two-state solution, and halt the spread of conflict in Lebanon. No more suffering should be inflicted on Palestine and Lebanon,” Xi emphasized.
On expanding the BRICS bloc, Xi voiced China’s support for “greater involvement of Global South nations in BRICS matters,” noting that “the rise of the Global South signals a significant shift in global dynamics.”
Addressing the final day of the BRICS summit in the Outreach/Plus format, Xi highlighted the gathering’s significance, with participation from 36 countries, including 22 heads of state, such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and representatives from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.
On Wednesday, the BRICS leaders adopted the “Kazan Summit Declaration,” summarizing the summit’s key outcomes and marking the end of Russia’s BRICS chairmanship term.
