China Proposes Five BRICS Initiatives to Integrate AI, Trade and Smart Manufacturing

Highlights

• Xi proposed five BRICS initiatives covering AI, special economic zones, digital infrastructure, smart manufacturing, and engineering talent at the New Delhi Summit.
• The New Delhi Declaration endorsed BRICS SEZ cooperation, resilient value chains, standards collaboration, and cross-border payment solutions.
• BRICS increasingly connects mineral-rich Brazil, South Africa, and Indonesia with China's processing base, Indian industrial ambitions, Russian resources, and Gulf capital.
• Western vulnerability extends beyond mine supply—Washington and Brussels must compete across the full industrial stack to avoid ceding value-added processing and standards.
• China assumes BRICS chairmanship in 2027, giving Beijing a key opportunity to convert these institutional frameworks into operating programs.