BRICS summit: Xi warns about ‘expanding military alliances’

Chinese President Xi Jinping has warned against “expanding” military ties in a speech ahead of a virtual summit with top leaders from Russia, India, Brazil and South Africa.

Beijing is hosting the two-day meeting of the influential club of BRICS emerging economies, which accounts for more than 40 percent of the global population and nearly a quarter of the world’s gross domestic product. The summit will start on Thursday.

Three of its members – China, India and South Africa – have abstained from voting on a United Nations resolution condemning Russian attacks on Ukraine.

Xi told the BRICS business forum that the “Ukraine crisis is… a wake-up call” and warned against “expanding military alliances and seeking one’s own security at the expense of other countries’ security”.

China and India have strong military links with Russia and buy large amounts of its oil and gas. Read more »