Xi unveils AI and trade initiatives as China moves to strengthen ‘Greater Brics’

President Xi Jinping has unveiled a series of initiatives on AI and trade and investment aimed at deepening cooperation within Brics as China has sought to turn the expanding bloc into a more influential player in global affairs. Speaking at the Brics summit in Delhi on Sunday, Mr Xi said the success of what he called the “Greater Brics Initiative” would depend on establishing a solid foundation for practical cooperation. He called on its members and partner countries to strengthen cooperation, keep industrial and supply chains stable, and develop a more integrated market, China’s Xinhua news agency reported. China would take the lead in establishing a Brics AI Open Source Zone to promote cooperation on large language models, training and an open AI ecosystem, Mr Xi said. He also proposed a Brics Special Economic Zone partnership, and said China would host a Brics Service Trade Forum next year to strengthen trade and investment ties. This comes as the grouping seeks to expand cooperation in politics and security as well as economics and finance. India holds the Brics chair this year and China is due to take over in 2027. Brics was formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The block now comprises 10 full members – the original core plus Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the UAE – and 10 partners in Cuba, Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. Its expansion in recent years gives the bloc greater reach across the Global South, even though the interests of its members vary widely. Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said earlier at the summit that solutions developed within Brics shouldn’t remain confined to its members but be accessible to developing countries more broadly. Russian president Vladimir Putin described Brics as a powerful force for creating a “fairer” world order, urging members to find ways to combine the competitive strengths of their economies. Moscow, meanwhile, said on Sunday the leaders of China and India had offered to help facilitate peace talks over Ukraine, an offer welcomed by Mr Putin, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. On the first day of the summit, Brics, in a diplomatic breakthrough, issued a joint declaration on the conflict in the Middle East, with Iran and the UAE both backing language urging maximum restraint. It expressed concern over escalating violence and called for dialogue, diplomacy and de-escalation. [Read Full Story on The Independent →](https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/india/brics-xi-jinping-modi-putin-india-china-russia-b3049337.html)