By staff reporter ZHANG HUI
BRICS Plus, as a model of expansion, was proposed by China on the basis of successful practices in previous BRICS Summits. It is sought to establish widespread partnerships between BRICS member countries and other developing countries through dialogues and cooperation, expanding its circle of friends, and shaping the BRICS mechanism into an influential cooperation platform for South-South cooperation, so as to better reflect the common ground and collective will of developing countries.
Then what do other developing countries make of the proposal? What opportunities does the BRICS Plus promise them? To get some insight about these questions, China Today interviewed ambassadors of Iran, Georgia, Nepal, and South Sudan to China as well as two diplomats from Argentina and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Iranian Ambassador to China, Ali Asghar Khaji
“Since its founding, the BRICS has been representing a new cooperation concept, and played an important role in giving a voice in the international community on behalf of the developing world. The Iranian government showed its support to the BRICS Plus proposal when it was first put forward. As an important developing country in West Asia and North Africa region, Iran is poised to strengthen its cooperation with China under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and BRICS Plus. In addition, we also hope China, as a leading developing country, can play a bigger role in advancing cooperation among developing countries on such aspects as economy, security, and social development.”
Georgian Ambassador to China, David Aptsiauri
“I think it’s quite a new model for cooperation of industrial countries and most of them have enormous resources, enormous economic potential, and good prospects. Most importantly, they have discovered that such model of cooperation can make progress and minimize risks.”
Nepali Ambassador to China, Leela Mani Paudyal
“BRICS, as an economic platform, has allowed more and more developing countries to have opportunities to benefit from the economic development of the BRICS countries. Let’s see, we’re quite optimistic about that. That would be a good opportunity and prospect for countries like Nepal. I said we were quite optimistic. We’ll find more market for our products to sell and we’ll benefit from the capability that BRICS countries have. We’ll see the opportunities to share the technological advancements they’ve made. So we’ll also be able to give our economy the new technology they developed. It would be a new opportunity for countries in the region, particularly developing countries.”
Ambassador of South Sudan to China, Raphael Nhial Kulang
“It’s wonderful. It’s a very good program. It will help many countries learn, particularly African countries.”
Vice Ambassador of Argentina to China, Gonzalo Sabate
“For Argentina, it would be a good thing to be in BRICS. We’re in the G20. We’ll organize the G20 Summit next year, which China organized last year. We’re at the right level of development to be in the BRICS group. We’re not part of it, because we’re not the founder of the BRICS.”
Minister Counsellor, Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Hamzeh Al-Omari
“Of course, we’re happy to hear that. You know, before that, we’re happy to be part of the Belt and Road Initiative. Yes, of course, we’ll be more than happy to be invited to join BRICS Plus, to see the opportunities, adventures, and joint ventures that we can make use of, and the all time cooperation with regard to development, human development, industrial development and environment, so on and so forth.”