Author Archive

Brian Hart

Brian Hart is a fellow with the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). His research focuses on Chinese foreign policy, the Chinese military, and U.S.-China technological competition. He also supports Hidden Reach, a CSIS special initiative that uses satellite imagery and open-source data to analyze under-appreciated aspects of China’s overseas influence.

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The 2023 BRICS Summit: A Mixed Bag for China Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the 15th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa from August 21-24 encompassed both diplomatic successes and self-inflicted setbacks. While China effectively championed BRICS expansion, missteps by the Chinese delegation detracted from the trip’s achievements. Beijing sees BRICS as key to engaging the Global South and countering the West China sees BRICS as a valuable and unique mechanism for engaging with the Global South. In July 2023, ahead of the BRICS summit, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi described BRICS as “the most important platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries.” BRICS summits allow Chinese officials to …