Xi Jinping says that China supports Kazakhstan joining BRICS+

China supports Kazakhstan in its intention to join BRICS, an intergovernmental organization of Brazil. Russia, India, China and South Africa, the Kazinform News Agency reported, citing President of China Xi Jinping.

«China supports Kazakhstan’s joining BRICS. We are supporting Kazakhstan as one of the middle powers in the world,» said Xi Jinping during a press briefing after negotiations with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The Chinese president expressed his gratitude to the president of Kazakhstan for the warm welcome and assured him that China will always be a pillar of support for Kazakhstan.

«I’d like to confirm that China has been considering its relations with Kazakhstan from strategic and long-term points of view. It considers Kazakhstan a priority of its foreign policy in terms of relations with neighboring countries and an important partner in Central Asia. Our will and determination to ensure good relations between Kazakhstan and China are unshakable and aren’t subject to the influence of conjunctural factors. I assure you that China will always be a reliable pillar of support for Kazakhstan,» the Chinese president said.

The context. On August 7, 2023, Foreign Minister of South Africa Naledi Pandor revealed that 23 countries, including Kazakhstan, officially applied to join BRICS. Two days later, Kazakhstan’s MFA said that it was too early to talk about Kazakhstan joining the organization.

However, on August 24, President Tokayev announced the country’s intention to contribute to BRICS’s development as a member state.

BRICS was established in 2006 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum by economy ministers from Brazil, Russia, India and China. In early 2024, the organization was renamed BRICS+ after more countries joined the alliance.

As of today, the organization includes nine member-stares: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia.