India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (C) addresses the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, India, on May 14, 2026. Photo: VCG

In response to an inquiry regarding the foreign ministers' meeting of the BRICS, asking what is the preferred outcome for China from this meeting and why China has not sent a high-level representative from Beijing to the meeting, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Thursday that Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong is attending the meeting on behalf of Foreign Minister Wang Yi due to scheduling reason. 

BRICS is an important platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries. China attaches great importance to and actively participates in BRICS cooperation, Guo said.

"We are always committed to deepening BRICS strategic partnership and consolidating the positive momentum of BRICS solidarity and cooperation. We stand ready to work with other members of the BRICS family to support this year's chair India in making the Foreign Ministers' Meeting a full success, and advance the high-quality development of greater BRICS cooperation," Guo added.

Foreign ministers from the BRICS nations began a two-day meeting in New Delhi on Thursday, AP News reported. The meeting brings together diplomats from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa along with newer member countries. 

In recent years, BRICS has transformed into a major force fostering cooperation among Global South nations, Xinhua reported. This collaboration not only advances their economic and social progress, but also offers alternative approaches to global governance and new models for modernization.

Last year, Brazil hosted the BRICS meeting and, in 2024, Russia hosted the annual meeting. This year, it is India's turn to host, according to Al Jazeera.

India Foreign Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said the talks would focus on global and regional challenges and ways to deepen cooperation among member nations, The Hindu reported. In opening remarks, Jaishankar said BRICS could help developing countries more effectively respond to the health and financing challenges they face as well as high prices for energy, food and fertilizer.

"We meet at a time of considerable flux in international relations," he said, per the report, adding that emerging and developing countries increasingly expect BRICS to play a "constructive and stabilizing role."

As an important cooperation mechanism of emerging economies, BRICS has been striving to build a diverse and inclusive platform for strategic dialogue and peaceful communication, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times.

Although reaching consensus among BRICS countries is challenging due to differing interests, all parties can use this multilateral dialogue platform to engage in frank communication, build the broadest possible consensus, and work to ensure the smooth functioning of the international order, the expert added.

Global Times