Pooling Strengths
How BRICS countries can play a bigger global role By Jiang Shixue
The author is a professor at Shanghai University and vice president of the China Society of Emerging Economies
When Jim O’Neill, then Chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, published the report Building Better Global Economic BRICs in 2001, he pointed out that the GDP of Brazil, Russia, India and China accounted for 23.3 percent of the world total and that the weight of the four countries would continue to expand over the next decade, raising important issues about the impact of their fi scal and monetary policies on the world economy. In line with these prospects, world policymaking forums should be reorganized and in particular, the Group of Seven (G7) should be adjusted to incorporate BRIC representatives.
Five years after the report came out, the foreign ministers of the four countries met in New York in September 2006 on the sidelines of the General Debate of the UN General Assembly, in a prelude to a series of high-level meetings. A summit meeting was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on June 16, 2009, and then with the inclusion of South Africa in 2011, the BRICS cooperation with its current fi ve member states was launched.
Bearing fruit
The BRICS countries account for 26 percent of the world’s land area, 42 percent of the world’s population, nearly a quarter of the world’s economy, and more than 10 percent of the world’s total foreign trade and investment. In addition, they account for well over 10 percent of the world’s voting power in the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, which all together demonstrates the huge impact of the BRICS cooperation on the world.
Remarkable achievements have been made over the past years. The leaders of the five countries hold a summit once a year and informal meetings on other occasions for dialogue and consultation on major international issues of common interest. In addition, government departments within the group have held numerous meetings on how to cooperate further. Amid rising uncertainties in the world, such dialogue and consultation are conducive to promoting pragmatic cooperation.
左达却似乎有点不耐烦了，“啪”地一声把手机挂断了,他抬头望着天,吐出一口长气,自言自语道：“人固有一死，或重于泰山，或轻如鸿毛，老子死也要重如泰山，压死你们。”
The New Development Bank (NDB), which was founded by the BRICS countries and officially opened on July 21, 2015, has financed 35 projects totaling $9.3 billion. On August 17, 2017, the NDB launched its Africa Regional Center in Johannesburg. The bank will reportedly approve at least $32 billion in loans by 2021, along with bond issuance in more countries.
Critical issues
The prospects for BRICS cooperation are promising; however, the five nations should take several issues into consideration.
秦明月注意到这位毛夫人虽然强装镇定，但是其身体已经在微微发抖，她似乎想努力笑一下，但是嘴角只是牵动了一下而已。秦明月见多了死者家属看到亲人死于非命时痛不欲生的表情，反而有些麻木了，更多的是一种冷静到近乎残酷的观察与怀疑。在他的眼中，只要案子没破，一切人物都是可以怀疑的。
The expansion of cooperation areas is, of course, to be congratulated and encouraged, as the determination of the BRICS countries to strengthen cooperation continues to grow. At the same time, they must decide on priorities to avoid the possible fragmentation of the BRICS cooperation.
估摸时间差不多了，玉敏收起搓澡巾，说姑妈，好了。姑妈说我再帮你搓会？玉敏赶紧摆手，说你要折杀我啊，你是姑妈，我哪能劳驾你！再说我的背不用搓，每次都是小虫搓的。说完不好意思地笑了。两人又去冲了淋浴，半小时后回到休息室，闲聊了会。姑妈问起杨律师的事，玉敏说杨律师和那客户协商未成，已向法院提起诉讼了，过几天就开庭。姑妈说这官司有把握么，玉敏说杨律师说有，但没把握能拿到钱。姑妈叹息。玉敏又说杨律师说了，如果那客户有财产，可以执行的。姑妈不懂法律，哦了一声，说那就催杨律师抓紧吧。
The BRICS mechanism should be moderately institutionalized to increase the effectiveness of cooperation. Establishing a permanent secretariat, as a first step toward becoming institutionalized, is necessary to coordinate different views and monitor the implementation of projects. A permanent secretariat can also handle administrative affairs that are closely related to the functioning of BRICS, avoiding the predicament where the rotating presidency has the most input and say.
A number of priority areas need to be identified. During the First BRICS Summit, a joint statement containing only 15 articles was issued. But in recent years, joint statements and declarations issued at the end of leaders’ meetings usually contain 100 articles, covering almost every aspect of international and national affairs.
Along with identifying priorities, the progress and implementation of various projects should be monitored to minimize the discrepancies between top-level designs completed at the leaders’ meetings and actual results.
Directors (second, third and fourth left) of The Neighbors , a BRICS co-production, meet with the audience after the fi lm’s world premiere at the Third Pingyao International Film Festival in north China’s Shanxi Province on October 17
It should be noted that BRICS has yet to create a charter, and there is no legally binding mechanism, no permanent secretariat and not even a clear purpose for cooperation.
As its international prestige continues to grow, BRICS may attract other emerging economies, especially since its member states have always adhered to the principle of openness and inclusiveness and are willing to strengthen cooperation with them. It’s very conceivable that a number of like-minded economies will be invited. Since the Xiamen Summit in 2017, the cooperation has adopted the BRICS Plus initiative, which invites leaders of relevant countries as guests to join the discussions.
A principle acceptable to all fi ve countries is needed. Based on the experience of the BRICS cooperation over the past decade, as well as the different states of science and technology development in the fi ve countries, discussions on the future development, joint efforts in research and development and the sharing of the fruits of success can be the guiding principles for BRICS cooperation in the field of science and technology.
式中：ρ为油液密度；Cd为油液缩流系数；As为油液流入回流腔腔体的截面积；Aorise为反行程回油腔油孔截面积；Aorisc为正行程回油腔油孔截面积；AFL为活塞杆内部截面积；Aori为油孔静截面积；式中的AFL和Aori均为缓冲器行程S的函数。
A booth at the 2017 China International Fair for Investment and Trade in Xiamen, southeast China’s Fujian Province, promotes investment in BRICS countries
Hi-tech focus
One important feature of the current international landscape is the rapid advance of the technological revolution. The extensive application of the Internet of Things, virtual reality, artifi cial intelligence (AI) and robotics has changed almost every aspect of human society, provided new impetus for economic development and brought about changes in the main battlegrounds of competition among countries.
The upcoming November summit to be held in Brazil is themed BRICS: Economic Growth for an Innovative Future. Four priorities will be on the agenda: strengthening cooperation in science, technology and innovation; enhancing cooperation of the digital economy; invigorating cooperation against transnational crime, especially organized crime, money laundering and drug traffi cking; and encouraging collaboration between the NDB and the BRICS Business Council.
美国由于花样游泳发展得早，普及条件也比较好，目前它的水平在世界上居领先地位，但是，另外几个国家也具有相当的实力。
Scientific and technological capabilities have become increasingly important factors in determining the competitiveness of a country. BRICS countries have different but complementary advantages in scientifi c and technological innovation; therefore, the importance of strengthening cooperation in this fi eld cannot be underestimated.
To promote BRICS cooperation in science, technology and innovation, some necessary measures need to be taken.
The most productive areas of cooperation should be better identifi ed. This can include the application of certain technologies, while basic or theoretical research could also be an option. In terms of the current frontiers of world science and technology, AI and 5G are undoubtedly the best areas for joint efforts.
There are 11 emerging economies within the Group of 20, including the BRICS countries and excluding the European Union, the G7 countries and Australia. BRICS could consider reaching out to the other six emerging economies.
The fi ve BRICS members should unequivocally oppose hegemony. Some developed countries use their strength to suppress the development of science and technology in emerging economies. The BRICS countries should unite in strong condemnation of such practices.
In the past few decades, BRICS countries have developed rapidly in science and technology. But in some areas such as chip making, there is still a high reliance on products from developed countries. It restricts the improvement of the scientific and technological capacity as well as the overall national strength of these countries.
Hence, members need to integrate innovation capabilities and initiate more key projects like the BRICS Institute of Future Networks. The five countries should set up a BRICS chip research institute as well, aiming to make breakthroughs in chip development and manufacturing.
英国皇室订婚、结婚时的戒指基本都是蓝宝石，尤其偏爱矢车菊蓝宝石。矢车菊蓝宝石在蓝宝石里的地位，就相当于鸽血红之于红宝石，都是该类宝石中最顶级的存在。而如此出名的蓝宝石即是产于缅甸。缅甸蓝宝石又被称为“东方蓝宝石”，是一种极优质的“浓蓝”微紫的宝石。它的透明度高、裂隙小，颜色能让人联想到天空、海洋，而缅甸抹谷出产的蓝宝石更是被业界收藏家视为瑰宝。
While formulating or revising international rules guiding cooperation in science and technology, the fi ve nations should also strengthen consultation and communication with other countries. Some current international rules are not necessarily neutral and may even be unfavorable to emerging economies or developing countries, while rules have yet to be established in certain areas. BRICS countries should communicate more with other emerging economies and take the initiative to voice their views.
At the same time, the group needs to properly handle the relationship between bilateral and multilateral approaches. While they complement each other, the real BRICS cooperation should be the integration of the scientifi c and technological strength of all five countries or collaboration involving all of them.
（1）可以通过测土配方，施用有机肥，土壤深翻进行初步的土壤改良，逐步减少当地农作物种植过程中病虫害的影响，同时由于土质的改良，可以吸收农产品加工企业的投资，利用当地优质廉价的原材料，提供多类就业岗位，提高居民的家庭收入。
Copyedited by Rebeca Toledo
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