Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed support for Kazakhstan joining the BRICS bloc, according to Chinese state media on Wednesday.
The BRICS group is considering expanding to challenge the Western-dominated world order. During a meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Kazakhstan’s capital, Xi encouraged Kazakhstan to “play the role of a middle power on the international stage and make its due contribution to global governance,” while endorsing Kazakhstan’s accession to BRICS.
China and Russia are advocating for the expansion of the BRICS grouping, which includes Brazil, India, and South Africa, to counter Western economic dominance.
Originally coined by Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O’Neill in 2001, the BRICS bloc was founded as an informal four-nation club in 2009, with South Africa joining a year later. In August, the bloc agreed to admit Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates, though Saudi Arabia has yet to join the group.
During his meeting with President Tokayev, Xi Jinping announced that China and Kazakhstan agreed to double their bilateral trade as soon as possible and to deepen cooperation in oil and gas exploration, extraction, and processing, according to the report.
The two leaders also committed to enhancing cooperation in clean energy, including wind, solar, and nuclear power. Chinese companies will assist in upgrading Kazakhstan’s energy grid and power stations.
According to data from the American Enterprise Institute think tank, Chinese firms have invested $9.5 billion in Kazakhstan since Xi first proposed his Belt and Road Initiative during a state visit in 2013, with nearly all investments directed towards the state’s petroleum and nuclear energy industries.
