Since its inception in 2006, the BRICS cooperation mechanism has steadily developed into a stable platform for dialogue and cooperation between its members: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. 

The 14th BRICS summit will be held this week, with China holding the presidency for the second time since 2017. 

The BRICS countries represent around 42 percent of the world's population and one-fifth of global GDP. As the biggest economy within the group, what role does China play?

China has driven the agenda for innovative cooperation among the BRICS countries, for instance, the "BRICS Plus" mechanism proposed by China during the 2017 BRICS summit. 

Via the first ever Dialogue of Emerging Markets and Developing Countries, the Xiamen Summit included representatives of developing countries from different regions.

Last month, China proposed a membership expansion at the BRICS foreign ministers' meeting.

During the meeting, a dialogue with foreign ministers of emerging markets and developing countries in the "BRICS Plus" format was held for the first time.

The BRICS partnership on the new industrial revolution is another typical example. 

China will set up an innovation center for such a partnership in the city of Xiamen, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in an address to the 12th BRICS summit in Beijing via video link.

Since its establishment in 2020, the innovation center has held a series of talent training sessions, think tank seminars and industrial innovation competitions, providing a platform for BRICS cooperation in digitization, industrialization, innovation and investment.

A staunch supporter

From public health, vaccine research and development, and economic cooperation to people-to-people and cultural exchanges, China has provided solid impetus to BRICS solidarity and cooperation. 

At the 13th BRICS summit last year, China proposed strengthening cooperation on public health and vaccines, and on March 22 this year, the BRICS Vaccine R&D Center and a workshop on vaccine cooperation were launched. 

In 2021, the import and export value of BRICS totaled $8.55 trillion, up 33.4 percent year on year. In the same year, bilateral trade between China and BRICS countries reached $490.42 billion, up 39.2 percent year on year.

Since the start of the year, China has hosted over 70 meetings and events covering political security, economy, trade and finance, people-to-people exchanges, sustainable development and public health, according to the country's foreign ministry.

China has played a leading role in addressing international challenges and advancing global governance as the world experiences a fragile economic recovery, a widening development gap and serious issues like climate change and digital governance. 

Its Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative, public goods and platforms for international cooperation such as the Belt and Road Initiative all serve as "accelerators" for global development.

Meanwhile, China, on various occasions, has called on BRICS countries to uphold true multilateralism, reject bloc confrontation, and pursue both solidarity and win-win cooperation.

The theme of this year's summit is "Foster High-quality BRICS Partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development." A new chapter for BRICS cooperation is about to begin.

Script writer: Duan Fengyuan

Video editor: Zhang Dian

Voice-over: John Goodrich

Cover: Yin Yating