Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday unveiled a five-point plan to deepen cooperation among BRICS countries, placing artificial intelligence, digital industries, smart manufacturing and scientific talent development at the centre of China's agenda as Beijing prepares to take over the group's chairship in 2027.
Addressing the second session of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Xi proposed a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening technological cooperation, upgrading manufacturing capabilities, facilitating trade and investment and developing skills across the expanded grouping.
The proposals include a BRICS artificial intelligence open-source community, a special economic zone partnership, a digital industry cloud platform, cooperation on smart factories and an engineer cultivation alliance.
The initiatives signal China's intention to use its incoming BRICS presidency to promote deeper technology and industrial cooperation, strengthen supply chains and encourage greater integration of the bloc's digital economy. China's proposals also align closely with Beijing's wider emphasis on artificial intelligence, digitalisation and advanced manufacturing.
Five initiatives put technology at the centre
Xi's first proposal was an AI open-source and inclusive initiative. China plans to take the lead in establishing a BRICS AI open-source community to support cooperation in the development and application of large language models.
Beijing also plans to organise specialised AI seminars and training programmes and work towards building an open AI ecosystem. The proposal comes as China has increasingly promoted open-source AI cooperation and broader international collaboration on AI development and governance.
The second proposal focuses on trade and investment facilitation. China suggested creating a BRICS special economic zone partnership, including an intelligent portal and greater coordination of policies among participating countries.
Xi also announced that China would host a BRICS Forum on Trade in Services next year, with the aim of developing new drivers of economic and trade cooperation.
The third initiative concerns digital industry cooperation. China will propose establishing a BRICS digital industry cloud platform through which member countries can cooperate on digital skills training, technology exchanges and industrial linkages.
The objective is to support the development of the digital economy and strengthen technological and industrial connections across the grouping.
Beijing proposes smart factories and talent programmes
Xi's fourth proposal is centred on smart manufacturing. China has offered to help other BRICS countries build smart factories and develop standards and norms for intelligent manufacturing.
The initiative is intended to accelerate the transformation and upgrading of manufacturing industries across BRICS countries, while promoting greater alignment in industrial standards.
The fifth proposal focuses on science and technology talent development. China has suggested establishing a BRICS engineer cultivation alliance to jointly train engineers and work towards mutual recognition of competency standards.
Beijing will also launch a BRICS youth exchange programme centred on scientific and technological innovation, with the stated aim of developing more high-calibre science and technology talent.
Together, the five proposals cover AI, trade, digital infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and talent development, reflecting Beijing's push to make technology and industrial cooperation a major component of the expanded BRICS agenda.
Xi calls for stronger rules and Global South cooperation
Beyond the economic and technological proposals, Xi called for greater cooperation among Global South countries and defended the importance of international rules.
Using an analogy, he said that “a world without rules is like a crossroads without traffic lights”, warning that the absence of common rules could lead to chaos and disorder.
Xi called on Global South countries to jointly uphold the rule of law in international affairs and rejected the principle that “might makes right”. He argued that international rules should be formulated collectively by all countries and applied universally without double standards.
The Chinese president also called for respect for sovereign equality, non-interference in countries' internal affairs and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
He urged BRICS members to strengthen links with emerging markets and other Global South countries, maintain stable industrial and supply chains and work towards building a large integrated market.
China's five-year plan presented as cooperation opportunity
Xi also linked China's domestic development strategy with its international economic engagement.
He said China's 15th Five-Year Plan would serve not only as a blueprint for the country's own development but also as a “cooperation list” for the rest of the world.
Beijing, he said, would continue to expand high-standard opening up, promote high-quality development and share the opportunities created by China's economic growth with other countries.
China's 2026 to 2030 Five-Year Plan places significant emphasis on technological self-reliance, artificial intelligence, digital industries and the integration of the digital and real economies. It calls for wider use of AI across industries, development of digital infrastructure and the promotion of intelligent manufacturing.
China's government also announced an AI cooperation action plan earlier this year covering data, computing capacity, ecosystems, industrial applications, talent development, rules and standards, governance and AI ethics.
China to take over BRICS chairship in 2027
Xi's proposals came as India concluded its 2026 BRICS chairship and handed over the leadership of the grouping to China.
The 2026 summit in New Delhi brought together the expanded BRICS membership and focused on cooperation among emerging economies, including economic development, technology, global governance and the interests of the Global South.
Xi's proposals indicate that Beijing is likely to place technology, digitalisation and industrial cooperation high on the agenda when it assumes the BRICS chairship next year.
The Chinese president has also called for stronger economic, political and security cooperation within the expanded grouping, with the aim of making BRICS a more practical platform for development and cooperation among countries of the Global South.