On the 20th, a Thai Foreign Ministry official stated that Thailand hopes to be approved as a member of the BRICS cooperation mechanism at the BRICS leaders’ summit in Russia this October.
Beijing’s Global Times reported on the 22nd that Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikond confirmed that the country officially submitted its application to join BRICS at the BRICS and Developing Countries Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue held in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, on the 11th of this month. “We hope to receive positive feedback and be accepted as a BRICS member at the next summit as soon as possible,” he said.
During the BRICS and Developing Countries Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue, Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai expressed Thailand’s desire to become a BRICS member. “Thailand is willing to act as a bridge for communication among countries worldwide and is capable of enhancing connectivity among BRICS countries to better achieve the common interests of developing nations,” he stated.
On May 28, the Thai Cabinet approved Thailand’s application to join BRICS. Currently, BRICS has 10 member countries. In addition to Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Iran, and Ethiopia became official BRICS members on January 1 of this year.
According to China News Service, Cui Shoujun, Deputy Dean of the School of International Organizations at Renmin University of China, stated that Thailand’s application to join BRICS indicates a strong desire among developing countries to join international organizations like BRICS. Furthermore, the expansion of BRICS could provide new momentum for improving the global governance system.
Tourism is currently Thailand’s pillar industry. Xu Feibiao, Director of the BRICS and G20 Research Center at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, mentioned that if Thailand joins BRICS, it would find excellent opportunities for alignment within this cooperative mechanism, achieving complementary advantages. Thailand could fully utilize BRICS resources to explore new markets. In addition to tourism, Thailand could integrate into the manufacturing sector and industrial chain of BRICS countries, promoting capacity cooperation and further enhancing its position and influence in the global economy.
If Thailand’s application to join BRICS is approved, it will become the first Southeast Asian member of BRICS. Cui Shoujun believes that as the status of the ten ASEAN countries significantly rises on the global stage, the inclusion of Southeast Asian countries in BRICS would grant the organization greater representativeness and influence, attracting more ASEAN countries to join and enhancing the comprehensive strength and influence of BRICS.
Singapore Media: BRICS Attracts Southeast Asia
The article from the Singapore Channel NewsAsia website on June 21, titled “Why Are More and More Southeast Asian Countries Expressing Interest in Joining BRICS?”, states that analysts believe one reason for the growing interest among Southeast Asian countries in joining the BRICS group of emerging economies is their desire for more options on the global economic stage.
Liao Zhenyang, Dean of the School of Humanities, Social Sciences, Arts, Design, and Media at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, believes that countries expressing interest in joining BRICS are attracted by its “collective potential.” He said, “These countries are considering their national interests and they hope to have more options on the global economic stage.”
According to the latest reports, on the 20th, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar stated in an interview with Chinese media on the 16th that Malaysia has “decided” to join BRICS and will “soon initiate the formal process.” Additionally, in January this year, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno stated that Indonesia is still studying the possibility of joining BRICS. Countries such as Laos have previously expressed interest in joining the group, while Vietnam has stated it is “closely monitoring the process of joining BRICS.”
Bima Yudhistira, Director of the Indonesian think tank Center for Economic and Legal Studies, believes that countries are influenced by the potential for cooperation in investment, trade, and infrastructure financing, particularly with China and India. He said, “Most ASEAN countries see China and India as potential markets.”
Alan Chong, Senior Research Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, believes that the BRICS organization represents “an alternative path forward in global governance.” Using Malaysia’s interest in joining the group as an example, Dr. Chong said that this could “enhance (the country’s) diplomacy in a very special way.”
He also stated, “Currently, Mr. Anwar is trying to leverage this international focus, which he has been fostering for many years, to bring good results for Malaysia. Why not? He has successfully revitalized the special relationship with China under the Belt and Road Initiative.”
While some Southeast Asian countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, others remain silent on the topic. Economist Bima believes that ultimately, it depends on the relationships between these countries and BRICS. “Singapore feels that without joining BRICS, it has already become a center for investment and finance for many Chinese companies. It may also be concerned about the potential duplication of bilateral and multilateral agreements with China and other BRICS countries.”
Nevertheless, Bima believes that the attractiveness of the BRICS cooperation mechanism will continue to drive its expansion due to the potential economic benefits it may bring.
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