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‘Strong enough now’: BRICS nations eye global geopolitical shift
Leaders of the BRICS emerging economies, which account for about a quarter of the world's wealth, meet in Johannesburg this week looking to widen the bloc's influence and push for a shift in global geopolitics. South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to host China's President Xi Jinping, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for the annual three-day summit starting on Tuesday. Russian President Vladimir Putin also will join remotely. Putin decided against attending in person as he is the target of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant that South Africa is in theory bound to enforce if he sets foot in the country. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will travel to Johannesburg instead. Representing billions of people across three continents, with economies undergoing varying levels of growth, the BRICS share one thing in common -- disdain for a world order they see as serving the interests of rich Western powers. "The traditional global governing system has become dysfunctional, deficient and missing in action," Chen Xiaodong, the Chinese ambassador to Pretoria said at a briefing on Friday, adding the BRICS are "increasingly becoming a staunch force in defending international justice". There is growing interest in the bloc -- at least 40 countries have expressed interest in joining and 23 of those have formally submitted applications to become BRICS members. 'Polarized world' Anil Sooklal, South Africa's ambassador-at-large for Asia and the BRICS, told AFP on Friday that one of the reasons countries are lining up to join is "the very polarised world we live in, that has been further polarised by the Russia-Ukraine crisis, and where countries are being forced to take sides". "Countries in the South don't want to be told who to support, how to behave, and how to conduct their sovereign affairs. They are strong enough now to assert their respective positions," added Sooklal. The BRICS have raised hope for countries looking to restructure the global "architecture", he said. "The major markets are now in the Global South... but we are still on the margins in terms of global decision-making." Lebogang Legodi, the international politics lecturer at the University of Limpopo, agrees that many states keen on joining the group "are seeing BRICS as an alternative to the current hegemony" in world affairs. Around 50 other leaders will attend a "friends of BRICS" program during the summit, which will be held at a convention center in the heart of Johannesburg's Sandton, historically referred to as the richest square mile on the continent. This year's gathering is themed "BRICS and Africa: Partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable development, and inclusive multilateralism". It comes at "a critical inflection point," said Steven Gruzd of the Africa-Russia Africa project at the South African Institute of International Affairs. "The current multilateral system is under strain," he said. A decision on expanding the BRICS membership is expected at the end of the summit, according to Sooklal. An upbeat Ramaphosa told a meeting of the ruling ANC party in Johannesburg on Saturday that "we are going to have a fantastic BRICS summit". He said the presence of so many heads of state "goes to show the influence and the impact that South Africa" has in the world. But experts closely watching the BRICS aren't very optimistic about the meeting's outcomes. "I don't think this summit will yield those dramatic results because the power is still with Western countries. China is rising, but is not the dominant power yet," said SAIIA's Gruzd. Formally launched in 2009, the BRICS now account for 23 percent of global GDP and 42 percent of the world's population. The combined bloc represents more than 16 percent of the world's trade. The post ‘Strong enough now’: BRICS nations eye global geopolitical shift appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EU agrees economic weapon in face of China trade spat
The European Union on Tuesday agreed to create a trade tool aimed at punishing countries that seek to put pressure on one of its member countries, after China targeted Lithuania. The new weapon would allow the 27-nation bloc to impose tariffs, restrict investment and limit access to public contracts for nations seen as engaging in economic blackmail. "This sends a strong signal that the EU rejects all forms of economic coercion," said EU economy commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis. "We'll be more assertive in defending our legitimate rights and interests." The push to bulk up the EU's economic muscle was given impetus by a row with China over trade restrictions imposed on EU member Lithuania after it strengthened ties with Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory. The EU has started action against leading trade partner China at the World Trade Organization over the restrictions. Beijing has denied taking coercive measures. The new instrument was agreed between EU member states and lawmakers after a year of negotiation. It is now expected to enter into force later this year after it is formally approved by the parliament and 27 EU countries. "It is one more tool at the service of our strategy for a less naive European trade," said France's trade minister Olivier Becht. Divisions between EU members have typically hampered the bloc from flexing its collective economic might on the international stage. The tool now hands more powers to the EU executive arm, the European Commission. But unleashing the economic punishment would be only a last-ditch nuclear option if attempts at mediation fail. In practice, EU member states will report complaints to the commission, which will have four months to rule if coercion is involved. Any decision would need to then be signed off by a qualified majority of EU countries. If they agree, a mediation phase would begin during which the commission would seek to convince the third country involved to end its objectional measures. Only if that doesn't work would the EU be able to resort to its new powers. The post EU agrees economic weapon in face of China trade spat appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Locsin, Carpio agree on South China Sea
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Philippines announces decisive measures amid tensions with China
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Philippines’s Marcos pledges action in response to China’s ‘dangerous attacks’
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Akbayan to Sara: You don’t have to be president to speak vs China
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China: PH is ‘straying down a dangerous path’
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Roque bares Duterte, China agreement to respect status quo in WPS
Roque bares Duterte, China agreement to respect status quo in WPS.....»»
Marcos: Philippines won’t be ‘cowed into silence, submission’ by China
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Roque: Xi, Duterte agreed to keep West Philippines Sea status quo
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Let’s not forget about sexual reproductive health and rights
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India backs Philippines in dispute with China
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India backs Philippines in sea dispute with China
New Delhi has drawn a strong response from Beijing after reiterating its support for Manila in a territorial dispute India has "firmly reiterated" its support for the Philippines and its "national sovereignty," as Manila remains locked in a territorial dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea. Ten.....»»