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THIS WEEK'S SILK ROAD HEADLINES
Among the news items and analyses from this week, of particular interest is an Asia Times article about recent developments in the relations between the so-called BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) [Against all odds, BRICS nations get their act together]. The article, in the wake of a meeting between the five countries’ trade ministers, points out that in spite of the existing hindering issues affecting all members of this ‘club’ (both domestic and international), coordination and cooperation have been experiencing a steady growth, especially as far as trade is concerned. For instance, China and Brazil have signed an MoU to improve service trade in some eight areas, including e-commerce, healthcare, and tourism. Overall, the author concludes that the BRICS countries are succeeding in creating an aggregating platform for leading regional actors seeking to –eventually- rebalance what they perceive as a relatively unfair international status quo.
Against this optimistic backdrop, however, other news items indicate that harmony within the BRICS might be quite an ambitious goal, considering the sharp differences between the countries in terms of development and policy goals, especially when it comes to their international initiatives. On the one hand, China is powering through with the implementation of its Belt and Road Initiative, acquiring strategically located ports [China Takes Over Key Abu Dhabi Port And FTZ; The Maritime Silk Road Cannot Be Stopped], building railways [Laos-China railway brings changes to Laos] and generally pushing forward a dazzlingly fast –if not free of controversy- ‘infrastructure diplomacy’ agenda [China’s infrastructure diplomacy in Indonesia]. On the other hand, while some of them are trying to undertake (limited) initiatives mirroring the Chinese BRI [Indian group to build new coal terminal at port of Beira, Mozambique], the other BRICS generally cannot compete with Beijing’s burgeoning resources. Beyond the ‘harmonious’ rhetoric, China plays in a different league from the other BRICS, and such stark agenda differences do not bode well for the ‘aggregating’ element of the BRICS platform, let alone its ‘reformist’ one.
Francesco S. Montesano
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