China Awaits Indonesia's Active Contribution As A Permanent Member Of BRICS

JAKARTA - China welcomes and looks forward to Indonesia's active contribution as an official member of the BRICS group.

"Indonesia's official entry into BRICS is of common interest to BRICS countries and southern hemisphere countries (global-south) and we are confident that Indonesia will make an active contribution to the development of BRICS," said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun at a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday (7/1) reported by ANTARA.

On Monday (6/1), Brazil as the holder of the BRICS presidency in 2025 announced that Indonesia had officially become a member of the international organization.

"Indonesia, as a major developing country and an important force in the southern hemisphere, really appreciates the spirit of BRICS and has taken an active part in the 'BRICS Plus' cooperation," added Guo Jiakun.

China, said Guo Jiakun, is ready to work with Indonesia and other BRICS members to jointly build partnerships that are more comprehensive, close, practical, and inclusive.

"Together we advance the development of better and higher quality BRICS cooperation, as well as make a greater contribution to building communities with a common future for mankind," said Guo Jiakun.

The BRICS cooperation mechanism, said Guo Jiakun, emerged amid the collective revival of developing countries.

"This mechanism is also what the world wants to see for the sake of better global peace, joint development and governance. Nearly two decades since its formation, BRICS now covers nearly half of the global population, more than a third of the global economy and more than half of the world's economic growth," added Guo Jiakun.

Guo Jiakun said the representation, attractiveness and influence of BRICS had increased.

"BRICS has become an important 'platform' to promote solidarity and cooperation between developing countries and the main forces that encourage reform of the global governance system," said Guo Jiakun.

He also emphasized that China together with other BRICS countries will advocate an equal and regular multipolar world, promoting the development of an inclusive and beneficial economic globalization universally and communities with a shared future.

"The future will be more promising for greater BRICS cooperation," said Guo Jiakun.

Indonesia's joining the BRICS was first agreed upon by members of the BRICS at the summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, in August 2023.

However, because Indonesia held a general election in February 2024, the Indonesian government officially stated its intention to join the BRICS only after the new government under President Prabowo Subianto was formed.

In his statement, Brazil assessed that Indonesia had supported issues that were a priority during Brazil's presidency at BRICS from January 1 to December 31, 2025.

The BRICS was founded in 2009 with members of Brazil, Russia, India, and China, as well as South Africa joining in 2011, which later became an acronym of the member state's first letter.

The bloc has now been extended to include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates joining in December 2023, but the group decided to stick to the name BRICS.

Apart from Indonesia, BRICS also welcomes three other Southeast Asian countries as new members, namely Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand.

BRICS members control 40 percent of the world's population and 35 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP), making it an important player in the international arena.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) in a press statement said that Indonesia is committed to actively contributing to the BRICS agenda, such as overcoming global challenges, including climate change, food security, and public health, as well as realizing a more inclusive and just global order.

According to the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, joining Indonesia into BRICS is a reflection of the increasing active role of Indonesia in the global arena and the momentum to increase multilateral cooperation.