BRICS 2017: China Releases Theme, Priorities of Xiamen Summit in September

Xiamen BRICS Summit will be held amid increasing differences between India and China and other major global developments such as Donald Trump’s protectionist agenda

New Delhi (Sputnik) — China on Thursday released the theme and the cooperation priorities of the 2017 BRICS Summit which is scheduled to begin in September in Xiamen in the eastern Fujian province.

The summit will be held under the theme "BRICS: Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future".

Corresponding with his counterparts in founding members, Chinese Xi Jinping has reportedly highlighted five key priority areas which include deepening cooperation, strengthening global governance, carrying out people-to-people exchanges, making institutional improvements and building broader partnerships.

The BRICS comprises of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The inaugural summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009.

South Africa was admitted to the group in 2010. A total eight summits have taken place so far with the last year's summit being held in India at Goa.

The Xiamen summit will be held at a time when relations between New Delhi and Beijing are not very cordial due to differences over India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group and over the ban of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar.

Yet another global development which may have a major impact on deliberations between BRICS members is the Donald Trump administration in the US and the new regime's protectionist measures and pulling out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which has left the baton of free trade among the emerging economies of BRICS along with other like-minded Asia-Pacific nations.