In an evolving global landscape, the BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—represent a vital nexus of economic prowess, geopolitical influence, and innovation. Today BRICS’ combined economic impact has exceeded that of the G7 nations, contributing 26 percent of global GDP and 42 percent of the world’s population. The 15th annual summit held in South Africa, 22-24 August 2023, marked a pivotal juncture in the bloc’s evolution. Notably, the summit introduced six new members—Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, and the United Arab Emirates, underscoring the bloc’s’ commitment to broadening its influence and fostering more inclusive global collaboration.

As the largest economy within the BRICS consortium, China is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the group’s collective influence on the global stage. China’s considerable economic strength not only greatly enhances the collective power of BRICS but also provides China with the opportunity to lead talks on strategic collaboration in economics, developmental projects, and the promotion of a multi-faceted global landscape among emerging markets and developing nations.

Under this background, CCG will hold a dialogue with South Africa BRICS Sherpa Ambassador Anil Sooklal, and other notable experts from founding and new member countries on September 1, 2023. In this dialogue, CCG will dissect rhetoric from reality, on what the bloc represents and aims to accomplish for members and beyond. Additionally, what BRICS hopes to achieve in the realm of global economic governance and cooperation? To what degree is the bloc a ‘symbol of solidarity’, versus a symptom of shifts innate to the 21st century, and how can it contribute to addressing internal and external challenges BRICS countries face today? And while balancing between pragmatic goals and political realities, is the bloc’s growing influence more likely create room for collaboration with G7 countries on more equitable terms, or instead to replace them?

When:

16:00-17:30 China Standard, Friday Sep.1 2023

LANGUAGE

English

Baidu live:

https://live.baidu.com/m/media/multipage/liveshow/index.html?room_id=8573346581&source=h5pre

Agenda:

16:00-16:05 Moderator Introduction

Zoon Ahmed, CCG Fellow

16:05-16:10 Welcoming Remarks and Context Setting by CCG President Wang Huiyao

16:10-16:30 Keynote Speech by Anil Sooklal, Ambassador-at-Large (BRICS and Asia), Department of International Relations and Cooperation, South Africa

16:30-17:10 Panel Discussion Moderated by Zoon Ahmed, CCG Fellow

Panellists:

Jiang Shixue, Professor and Director of the Latin America Studies Center at Shanghai University

Sudheendra Kulkarni, Founder of “Forum for a New South Asia”; Former aide to Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Xu Qinduo, Senior Fellow at Pangoal Institution

Andrey Filippov, Deputy Director at ANO Digital Economy

Taís Bahia, Founder and CEO of XianZai (EdTech)

17:10-17:30 Interaction, Q&A, and Wrap-up

Speakers

Wang Huiyao, President of Center for China and Globalizaition (CCG)

Dr. Henry Huiyao WANG is the Founder and President of Center for China and Globalization (CCG). He is the former Counselor to the State Council of China appointed by the Chinese premier. In addition, he serves as Vice Chairman of China Association for International Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce; Vice Chairman of China Talent Research Society under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security; a Director of Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs and China National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation, both organizations under the supervision of Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Vice Chairman of China Public Relations Association. He is also Professor and Dean of the Institute of Development at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics and a member of Advisory Committee for Global Competence Development at Tsinghua University. Currently, he is a Steering Committee Member of Global Governance for the Digital Ecosystems (GGDE), the Paris Peace Forum(PPF), Pandemic Action Network(PAN) and Metropolis International; and he also sits on the Advisory Board of Duke Kunshan University and Richard Ivey Business School. Dr. Wang was an official with the then Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (now Ministry of Commerce) focused on China’s outbound investment. Later in Canada, he was appointed by Quebec government as the Chief Trade Representative for Quebec Government Office in Hong Kong and Greater China. His senior corporate positions include Director of Asia at SNC-Lavalin and Vice President for AMEC-Agra in Canada. He also had extensive experiences in international organizations, having served as Advisory Board Member of UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM), and an advisory expert for the World Bank, the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Alliance of Global Talent Organization (AGTO).

Anil Sooklal, Ambassador-at-Large (BRICS and Asia), Department of International Relations and Cooperation, South Africa

Professor Anil Sooklal is the Ambassador at Large: Asia and BRICS at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. He is also South Africa’s BRICS Sherpa, IBSA (India-Brazil-South Africa) Sherpa and Focal Point for IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation). He is the holder of two doctorates from the University of KwaZulu Natal. Ambassador Sooklal served as Deputy Director-General responsible for Asia and the Middle East, Department of International Relations and Cooperation, until 31 January 2022. He was also South Africa’s G20 Sherpa and FOCAC (Forum for China-Africa Cooperation). He also served as South Africa’s Ambassador to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg, from 2006 to 2012 and also at South Africa’s Missions in Geneva and New Delhi. Before joining government in 1995, he followed an academic career, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and at the University of South Africa (UNISA). Ambassador Sooklal has published more than 20 articles in both local and international Journals. The ambassador is a recipient of several fellowships and awards, including the Fellowship in Human Rights, United Nations Centre for Human Rights, Geneva (1993) amongst many others.

Jiang Shixue, Professor and Director of the Latin America Studies Center at Shanghai University

Jiang Shixue is Senior Research Fellow of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and Distinguished Professor of the Shanghai University, Sichuan International Studies University and Macau University of Sciences and Technology. In addition, heis also Guest Professor Anhui University and Zhejiang International Studies University. Concurrently, he is President of the Latin American Studies Council of Asia and Oceania, Vice President of the China Council of Experts for BRICS Think-tanks, Vice President of the China Society of the Emerging Economies, and Deputy Director of the Advisors Committee for the Union of Area Studies in Chinese Universities. He is also Advisor to both the Chinese Association of Latin American Studies and the Chinese Association of Latin American History Studies. He served as Deputy Director of the Institute of Latin American Studies, CASS, during 1997-2008, and then Deputy Director of the Institute of European Studies, CASS, during 2009-2017. His research areas include Chinese foreign policies, international relations, world economy, global governance, Latin America, Europe, BRICS, emerging economies, etc.

Sudheendra Kulkarni, Founder of “Forum for a New South Asia”; Former aide to Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Sudheendra Kulkarni is an independent socio-political activist, media commentator and writer in India. He is the founder of the “Forum for a New South Asia” in Mumbai, which seeks normalisation of India-Pakistan relations and closer ties between India and China. He believes that a triangular India-Pakistan-China relationship of friendship and cooperation is indispensable for a peaceful and prosperous South Asia, which is home to over 1.7 billion people. He is a strong proponent of inter-religious harmony around the world, especially Hindu-Muslim peace and fraternity in India. He is closely associated with several Gandhian organisations, especially Harijan Sevak Sangh, which was founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1932 to remove untouchability and all other caste-related injustices, and establish a society based on equality and harmony. Between 1998 and 2004, he served as a close aide to India’s former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). He also worked as a secretary to Lal Krishna Advani, India’s former Deputy Prime Minister. A firm believer in Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of Truth and Nonviolence, Kulkarni is the author of “Music of the Spinning Wheel: Mahatma Gandhi’s Manifesto for the Internet Age”. His forthcoming book August Voices – What They Said on 14-15 August 1947 and Its Relevance for India-Pakistan Rapprochement explores the remarkable convergence in the ideas and Ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, Mohammed Ali Jinnah and other leaders of India’s Partition era. He has authored two books on Swami Vivekananda, a great Hindu monk who advocated a mutually respectful dialogue between Hinduism and Islam ─ and also among all the other religions of the world. He has spoken on the imperative of inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue and cooperation on many global forums, especially as a regular speaker at the annual conferences held by the Community of Sant’Egidio, Rome.

Xu Qinduo, Senior Fellow at Pangoal Institution

Xu Qinduo is the host of CGTN’s Dialogue, a talk show that takes a balanced, in-depth look at current affairs in China and around the world. He is a senior fellow at the Pangoal Foundation, a Beijing-based public policy think tank, a research fellow of the Center for China and Globalization, and an adjunct professor at Renmin University of China. Mr. Xu previously worked as the producer and host of the TODAY show at China Radio International and as the editor-in-chief of China Investment magazine. He also spent years in Washington DC as chief correspondent of China Radio International and received the China Journalism Award, one of the most prestigious journalism prizes in the country. Mr. Xu is the co-author of the Chinese-language book: The Rise of China and The Real Western World. He is a graduate of the China Foreign Affairs University and Ludong University where he majored in diplomacy and English, respectively. He was also a visiting scholar to the University of Melbourne. As a senior political analyst, Mr. Xu has provided commentary and analysis frequently on topics in politics, economy, and culture to international media outlets such as the New York Times, NPR, PBS, ABC, RT, TRT, Al Jazeera, Channel News Asia, South China Morning Post, PressTV, AL Mayadeen, Asharq News, Sky News Arabia and many more.

Andrey Filippov, Deputy Director at ANO Digital Economy

Andrey Filippov graduated from the Faculty of Economics of Lomonosov Moscow State University with an MBA in Innovation and Business Development. Andrey Filippov – Deputy Director, International Cooperation at the Digital Economy ANO, where he is in charge of implementing the organization’s international initiatives promoting the digital economy and digital transformation of industries and businesses. He has over 15 years of experience in developing and implementing international programs. He is also a member of the official G20 Engagement Groups B20 (Business) and T20 (Research), which bring together leading experts from around the world to develop policy recommendations for G20 Leaders’ Summits. He holds CIMA «Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting» from the PwC Academy, «GR» qualifications from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) and «Independent Director» qualifications from the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation. Member of the Association of Professional Directors and the Russian Geographical Society.

Taís Bahia, Founder and CEO of XianZai (EdTech)

Taís Bahia is the founder of XianZai, an EdTech focused on strengthening Brazil-China relations, Ph.D. scholar (CSC) in Economics and Management of Education at Peking University, and corporate lawyer with extensive experience in assisting Chinese and Brazilian companies in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions. Besides being a consultant member of the Brazil-UN Special Commission of the Federal Council of the Brazilian Bar Association, focused on the SDGs 4 and 5, she is the first secretary of the State Coordination of Brazil-China Relations of the Brazilian Bar Association (Rio de Janeiro Section), where she is also coordinator of the Sexual and Gender Equality Group and member of the Culture and Education Group. She received a laureate award from the Federal Council of the Brazilian Bar Association for her commitment to democracy. She is also co-founder of the International Festival of Pluriversal Perspectives on Brazil-China Relations, an initiative to promote exchanges between China and Brazil.

Zoon Ahmed, CCG Fellow

Zoon Ahmed is a Pakistani researcher and journalist based in Beijing since 2015. She specializes in Chinese Foreign Policy including the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and South-South Cooperation. She has conducted in-depth fieldwork on the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, including Gwadar Port. Through her work she also focuses on engaging policy makers, media, businesses and youth to promote dialogue and cooperation in tangible ways. She has hosted various events including the World Peace Forum, CPEC Media Forum, and Global Young Leaders Dialogue (GYLD) Annual Forum among others. Currently, she is Research Fellow at the Centre for China and Globalization (CCG), a commentator for international media and think tanks including CGTN, anchor for China Economic Net, founding Editor-in-Chief of The ShangHe Review, and is pursuing a PhD in Politics, and is affiliated with the Institute of the Belt and Road Initiative, Tsinghua University.