BRICS' Detractors Can't See Forest for the Trees – Chinese Media

In an article published ahead of the opening of the 7th BRICS Summit in Ufa, Russia on Wednesday, Zhou noted that "ever since its creation, BRICS has been subjected to mudslinging" by its detractors. "In recent years, due to a variety of internal and external factors, some member countries have experienced economic decline…and as a result, a new wave of negative commentary toward BRICS has emerged."

In the expert's view, BRICS' critics can be divided into two camps. "The first camp consists of those who, as the saying goes, can't see the forest for the trees; that is, they do not have a complete picture of the situation. They know that the organization has been confronted with difficulties, but do not consider its huge reserves of potential for development and cooperation."

"The second group of [analysts] is, on the contrary, envious of the rise of the developing economies; they do not like that these countries cooperate with one another. For this reason they do not attach much importance to BRICS' enormous contribution to global development." Zhou notes that "these people look at things in a lopsided manner, considering BRICS to be a threat to the West's dominance in the existing international order."

"In fact, their fears are unfounded. The BRICS countries do not intend to overthrow the existing system…After all, in the age of globalization, development and prosperity of the emerging economies offers new opportunities to the world as a whole, developed countries included. However, if the West continues to ignore the successes of BRICS, their own future development may be put in jeopardy." 

Zhou is confident that criticism will not stop the BRICS nations from developing further. "On the contrary, it will give the organization a new impetus for development. [The ability to cope] with their responsibilities, deepening cooperation, the reaching of agreements –these are the best ways to answer the negative commentary."

Commenting on deepening cooperation, the analyst points to leaders' summits, which are now complemented by ministerial summits by foreign ministers, and those by other organs. Last year, members agreed to the creation of a new Development Bank. What is more, the Ufa summit will see "a discussion on an Economic Partnership Strategy, along with a plan for economic cooperation in the coming years."

Zhou notes that BRICS' members take on issues of a global scale, "supporting one another and cooperating on such important issues as the reform of the global financial system, trade, global climate change, the situation in Syria. BRICS has become an important force pushing global economic growth forward, improving the system of global economic governance and promoting the democratization of international relations."

Ultimately, according to Zhou, "the BRICS have great prospects. A key characteristic of the group is that all of its members are regional powers, which have at their disposal a great potential for [inter-regional] cooperation. Thanks to negotiations between leaders, the mutual benefits for each country continue to grow, and the base for cooperation continuously expands, as does the pace of cooperation."