On May 6, 2022, the second BRICS Think Tank Symposium was held in Chongqing both online and offline. The theme of this conference is “BRICS Cooperation and Global Development: New Era, New Mission, New Plan”, which was hosted by China Council for BRICS Think-tank Cooperation(CCBTC), the Chinese coordinator for BRICS think tank cooperation, and organized by Sichuan International Studies University, the vice-chairman organization of CCBTC. Think tank scholars and business representatives from BRICS countries carried out in-depth exchanges and discussions under the theme.

Jin Xin, Secretary-General of CCBTC, director-general of the Research Office of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, Ma Ranxi, Deputy Director-General of Publicity Department of Chongqing Committee of CPC and Director of Information Office of Chongqing Municipal Government, and Dong Hongchuan, President of Sichuan International Studies University delivered speeches respectively. Jin Xin said that at present, the shadow of a once-in-a-century pandemic and the conventional security risks are intertwined. Adjustments over the global governance system and the international landscape have gathered pace. The recovery of the world economy is weak and faltering, and the global development gap is widening. Amidst the great changes of the world, the era and the history, the international community, especially developing countries, is in dire need of economic recovery and common development, and generally hope to emerging market countries including BRICS to play a greater role in promoting economic recovery and common development. As China holds the rotating chair of the BRICS this year, it takes “Foster High-quality BRICS Partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development” as the theme of 2022 BRICS cooperation, with the hope to work with all BRICS countries to respond to the major concerns of the international community and build a more comprehensive, closer, more practical and more inclusive BRICS partnership to jointly achieve stronger, greener and sounder global development. Under new circumstances, in order to further deepen BRICS cooperation and promote common development: first, we should give priority to development and jointly promote economic recovery; second, we need to commit ourselves to inclusive development and focus on bridging the development gap; third, we should uphold innovation as the driver of growth and work together to achieve leapfrog development; fourth, we must adhere to green development and accelerate transformation towards green and low-carbon development.  

Ma Ranxi said that local-level cooperation among BRICS countries is of great significance. Cooperation at the local level is counted as an important and specific means to promote BRICS practical cooperation, and can provide new ideas and suggestions from the bottom up to national-level cooperation. Chongqing, as a strategic stronghold of China’s western region development and a connection between “Belt and Road” initiative and the Yangtze River Economic Belt, will further expand pragmatic cooperation, people-to-people and cultural exchanges with other BRICS members, and provide more and stronger drivers for BRICS cooperation and global development by promoting local-level exchanges.

Dong Hongchuan said that Sichuan International Studies University is an important base for foreign language education, foreign-related personnel training, as well as foreign language and culture, foreign economic and trade, and international studies in southwest China. It will continue to deeply involve itself in BRICS think-tank international exchanges and cooperation, build a base for think tank consultation, personnel training, and people-to-people exchange for BRICS research in western China, and make due contributions to promoting BRICS cooperation.   

Zhu Chaowei, vice president of Sichuan International Studies University, Xu Xiujun, researcher of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Zhu Jiejin, professor of Fudan University, Sun Yiran, researcher of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Jiang Shixue, distinguished professor of Shanghai University, Miao Jun, deputy general manager of Power China International Group Limited, Zhang Zhengping, rotating chairman of Chongqing Sokon Industrial Group Co., Ltd, and other Chinese think tank and business representatives believe that in the past 16 years, BRICS countries have made remarkable achievements in establishing New Development Bank and BRICS PartNIR innovation center, and formulating Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership 2025. In the future, BRICS countries should continue to strengthen coordination in various fields of global governance, lead cooperation with development, promote security with development, raise their voice with development, and realize the role change from participants to leaders of global development , from hitchhikers to defenders and builders of international order , and from global public goods demanders to suppliers.    

Think tank scholars and representatives from international institutions, such as Applied Economic Research of Brazil, Higher School of Economics of Russia, Observer Research Foundation, Gateway House of India, University of Johannesburg of South Africa, and ECLAC/UN Office in Brasilia, believe that in order to achieve the sustainable development goals, BRICS countries need to further deepen cooperation, conduct dialogue and exchanges with a more open mindset, mobilize their own resources, and work in synergy. On the one hand, BRICS countries should carry out domestic structural reforms, strive to change development modes, policies and models, vigorously develop human capital and social capital, coordinate competition objectives, and achieve fair development on the basis of law and regulations. On the other hand, BRICS countries should always adhere to multilateralism, promote effective global economic governance, and jointly counter the downward pressure and risks of the economy by improving mutual investment complementarity and carrying out scientific and technological innovation cooperation.

(Source: International Department. Central Committee of CPC)