China's Xi urges BRICS to help advance peace in Middle East

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday urged BRICS countries to help advance peace in the Middle East, saying the ongoing war does not serve the common interests of the international community.

"The situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region continues to evolve, the war there has caused serious losses to people across the region and does not serve the common interests of the international community," Xi said during the BRICS Leaders' Summit in New Delhi, according to state-run Xinhua News Agency.

The statement by the Chinese president comes amid the ongoing US war with Iran, which has damaged civil and military infrastructure across the Middle East as well as disrupted global energy supplies.

Xi called on BRICS countries to "firmly stand on the right side of history," saying Beijing would work with other members to play their "due role in achieving peace and tranquility in the Middle East and Gulf region."

He also urged BRICS members to take the lead in promoting mutual learning among civilizations and improving global governance.

Xi described the BRICS cooperation mechanism as the "world's most influential platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries."

Stressing opposition to a "Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation," he called on the emerging economies bloc to "oppose violations of other countries' sovereignty, interference in their internal affairs."

Rejecting "all forms of protectionism," the Chinese leader urged the BRICS to "lead global governance in cyberspace, outer space, deep sea, and amplify the voice of the Global South."

Emphasizing that BRICS should "pioneer in improving global governance," Xi called on the bloc to uphold the UN authority and strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence.

The weekend summit in New Delhi is attended by the Chinese, Russian and Iranian presidents, among other leaders, and comes as the US-Iran war has dragged on for seven months and the Russia-Ukraine war has continued for more than four years.

China will take over the rotating BRICS presidency next year after India's term ends.

On Sunday, the BRICS leaders will attend an open session titled “Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability: Shaping the Future for Inclusive Global Growth.”

The group now represents about 49.5% of the world’s population, 40% of global GDP and 26% of global trade, according to figures cited by BRICS.

The last summit was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2025 and next will be hosted by China.