Addressing the forum, which political leaders, economic and trade officials and business executives from BRICS countries attended in Beijing or participated in online, Xi expressed his concerns about the rising challenges that the world is facing, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, security problems, slow economic recovery and setbacks in global development. He emphasized the need to strengthen international cooperation to promote world peace and development.

Xi said that in the past century, humanity has gone through the scourge of two world wars and the dark shadow of the Cold War. The tragedies of the past tell us that hegemony, group politics and bloc confrontation bring no peace or security; they only lead to wars and conflicts, he added.