reply CCPIT and BRICS Business Cooperation: Past, Present and Future

BRICS cooperation began 18 years ago, in 2006. That year, the foreign ministers of four major developing countries, China, India, Russia and Brazil, met for the first time at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. BRICS, a concept put forward by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill, became a realistic cooperation mechanism.Three years later, the leaders of the four countries met for the first time in Yekaterinburg, Russia, and BRICS was officially born. 2010 saw the addition of South Africa to BRICS, adding another “brick” to the four. 2024 saw BRICS upgrade to a new level of cooperation with the addition of Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Egypt to BRICS. In 2024, with Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE, Ethiopia and Egypt joining BRICS, BRICS will be upgraded to BRICS, and 2024 will be known as the year of “Big BRICS”.The core of the BRICS cooperation mechanism is the annual BRICS Leaders' Summit, which started in 2009 and will be held for the 16th time in 2024 in Kazan. Under the framework of the Leaders' Summit, one of the main forms of the BRICS business community's cooperation mechanism is the BRICS Business Forum. In this mechanism, CCPIT plays an important role, not only organizing Chinese enterprises to actively participate in the cooperation, but also undertaking the task of organizing the activities of the cooperation mechanism.The BeginningFirst of all, turn the clock back to April 2011 in Sanya, Hainan, where the BRICS business community met for the first time. As one of the specialized events held in conjunction with the third meeting of BRICS leaders, more than 500 representatives of the BRICS business community attended the meeting, including more than 250 representatives from China and more than 240 from Russia, India, Brazil and South Africa.Amidst the flowers of Hainan in spring, the representatives of the business community discussed the rise of BRICS and the recovery of the world economy, the utilization of energy resources and sustainable development, the potential of the consumer market and business opportunities in BRICS countries, economic and trade cooperation and financial support, scientific and technological innovation and green growth, etc., and issued the “Common Statement of the BRICS Business Forum”, which is the genesis of the BRICS business cooperation.During the forum, CCPIT, as the organizer of the meeting, signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of the BRICS Business Liaison Mechanism with representatives of business associations of other four countries.Two years later, in March 2013 in Durban, South Africa, another important cooperation mechanism was born. BRICS leaders met for the fifth time in Durban, South Africa. After the meeting, as part of the action plan, it was decided to set up the BRICS Business Council, which aims to strengthen and promote economic, trade, business and investment ties among the business communities of the five BRICS countries, ensure regular dialogue between the BRICS business communities and governments, and propose solutions around relevant issues.The time has come to 2020 and the world is facing the serious challenge of a new crown epidemic. The BRICS countries have established a new cooperation mechanism, the BRICS Women's Business Alliance. This mechanism is a business cooperation mechanism based on Russia's 2017 initiative, authorized by BRICS leaders in 2019, and formally established during the BRICS Leaders Summit in 2020, and is a proprietary new platform for in-depth exchanges and cooperation among female entrepreneurs in BRICS countries, aiming to promote women's active role in the field of economic development in BRICS countries. The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) will continue to take the lead in organizing the activities of the Chinese business community in this mechanism, and the Chinese secretariat of the mechanism is located at the China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC).RelayThe year 2017 marked the beginning of the second decade of BRICS cooperation. In September of that year, after six years, the BRICS Leaders' Summit, was held in the beautiful Heron Island of Xiamen, along with the second BRICS Business Forum. The heads of state of China, Brazil and South Africa attended the conference and delivered speeches at the opening ceremony. The number of participants in the forum reached 1,200, including 79 of the world's top 500 companies, involving traditional industries such as energy, finance and food and emerging industries such as the Internet and big data. At the forum, the participants held in-depth discussions on trade and investment, financial cooperation, connectivity, development of blue economy and other topics, and reached a broad consensus.In July 2018, the 10th summit of BRICS leaders was held in Johannesburg, South Africa. The BRICS Business Forum, which was organized with the summit, was the first time the forum was held in a location outside China.In 2021, in response to President Xi Jinping's call, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC) guided the Chinese Council of the BRICS Women's Business Coalition to host two consecutive BRICS Women's Innovation Competitions. One by one, women-led innovation and entrepreneurship projects stood out and won the Mulan Award in the BRICS Women's Innovation Competition.In 2022, the new crown epidemic has led to increased global shocks, accelerated adjustments in the international landscape and global governance system, and uncertainties in the recovery of the world economy. In June of this year, the BRICS Business Forum was held in Beijing under the auspices of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) in a combination of online and offline formats.Earlier in the same month, women's business elites from BRICS countries also met on the Cloud for the BRICS Women's Business Coalition 2022 Annual Conference. Directors from the five countries listened to the reports on the annual work of the five joint working groups on inclusive economy, innovation and development, healthcare, food security and environmental safety, and creative industries and tourism. Speaking one after another, the representatives of each country spoke highly of the fruitful work led by China as the Chair-in-Office, expressed active support for the cooperation initiatives of the five joint working groups, and put forward relevant opinions and implementation measures. Regarding the future cooperation and development of the BRICS Women's Business Coalition, the council members put forward suggestions such as strengthening synergy with the B20 mechanism, adopting more effective ways to empower women, and establishing a platform for the development of the BRICS Women's Business Coalition. Finally, the five councils jointly considered and adopted the BRICS Women's Business Coalition Annual Report 2022.In 2023, the global economy is in the process of recovery, and the world expects women to play more roles. On June 5 of that year, the 2023 BRICS Women's Leadership Forum, hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC), was held in Beijing in a combination of online and offline events. More than 300 people attended the forum, including Shen Yueyue, Vice Chairman of the Chinese National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Ren Hongbin, President of the CCPIT, and the Chairpersons of the Boards of Directors of BRICS Women's Business Coalition of China, South Africa, and Russia, as well as the ambassadors of the BRICS countries, representatives of international organizations and business associations, representatives of the outstanding women's political and business sectors, and the winners of the two BRICS Women's Innovation Competitions.Towards the FutureCounting from the 2006 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New York, it is now the 18th year of the BRICS cooperation mechanism. At the age of 18, BRICS is at a critical stage of carrying forward the past and starting the future. Five “new friends” have joined the group, and BRICS has become a “big BRICS” with more color, more weight and more influence.In today's world, a century of change has brought about a series of changes, and the deficits in peace, development, security and governance continue unabated. The world hopes to hear more voices from BRICS and expects BRICS to play a greater role. Compared with the past, the 10-member BRICS will have a louder voice on the international stage, and will be more capable of providing the world with solutions different from those of the old international order.And in 2024, when the new era of BRICS begins, BRICS business cooperation is making a new start. On June 11 before the leaders' meeting, the BRICS Women's Leadership Forum was held in Beijing, attended by Ren Hongbin, President of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Huang Xiaowei, First Secretary of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), and more than 300 ambassadors from BRICS countries in China. The forum held in-depth discussions on the topic of “Excellence and Prosperity, Beauty and Coexistence” and published the BRICS Women's Development Report.On October 18, the BRICS Business Forum was held in Moscow, attended by more than 1,000 representatives of enterprises and business associations from more than 30 countries. Compared with the previous BRICS Business Forums, this year's BRICS Business Forum was the one with the largest number of nationalities of the participants.Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out at the meeting that the contribution of BRICS countries to the global economy has now exceeded that of the Group of Seven (G7) countries, with an average growth rate of 4%, compared with 1.7% for the G7 and 3.2% for the world average. The BRICS countries have become the drivers of world growth. The forum also discussed the potential of BRICS cooperation in the field of trade and economic cooperation. The new BRICS cooperation will bring together the largest energy exporters and importers, and the economic and trade complementarities and potential among BRICS countries will be further increased. In addition, the BRICS Business Forum also specifically mentioned that the Leaders Summit will focus on the discussion of the BRICS payment system, a unified payment system will further facilitate economic and trade cooperation among BRICS countries.“The Kazan summit is the first head of state-level event of the BRICS countries after the accession of five new members. Its significance lies in setting the tone and guiding the direction of the new 'Greater BRICS' cooperation. Especially in the context of such an international environment where double standards are rampant and 'small yards and high walls' are rampant, the old international order is becoming more and more difficult to provide the international community with excellent and effective public goods, and the fate of the BRICS mechanism lies in exploring a new path of cooperation that is inclusive, fair, pragmatic and feasible.” Hao He, an associate researcher at the Institute of Russian East European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, believes.