8月24日，印度總理納倫德拉·莫迪、南非總統西里爾·拉馬福薩和中國國家主席習近平在南非約翰內斯堡舉行的金磚國家領導人第十五次峰會上。

在全球治理體系失衡與失效疊加發酵之際，後疫情時代的國際秩序來到何去何從的十字路口。值此關鍵節點，金磚峰會在南非盛大召開。本屆峰會非洲色彩濃厚，中國角色顯著，焦點問題凸顯。金磚實現歷史性擴員，沙特、埃及、阿根廷等6國從眾多申請國中脫穎而出，叩開金磚大門。一支壯大的金磚隊伍成為足以撬動國際格局的重要力量，正從根本上改變世界版圖。

擴員是此次峰會的最大亮點。 近50多個國家表達了加入金磚大家庭的意願，在世界範圍內掀起一股“金磚潮”。如此眾多國家競相要求加入一個由新興市場國家和發展中國家主導的多邊合作機制，這在國際多邊機制發展史上實屬罕見現象。此股“金磚旋風”充分彰顯當下國際秩序大變動、大調整背後所蘊涵的四大根源性和驅動性因素：

一是由美西方主導的全球治理體系已經失靈，西方的霸權治理和強權治理模式不得人心。

二是廣大新興市場國家和發展中國家不甘在21世紀繼續處於國際舞台的邊緣，它們要抱團聯動獲得與自己體量相稱的國際制度性權力，而且要聯合自強做國際舞台的主角。

三是金磚機制運行17年的經驗表明，金磚不是“空談俱樂部”，而是一支足以改變國際格局的“行動隊”，新開發銀行等實體機構已經成為金磚機制的“金字招牌”。

四是金磚機制“不另起爐灶、不搞陣營對抗、不想取代誰”的“三不”角色定位，使得希望加入金磚的全球南方國家沒有選邊站隊的壓力。正是這四大因素不斷賦能金磚機制，使得開放包容、合作共贏的金磚感召力和影響力空前增加。

經過精挑細選和慎重考量，沙特、埃及、阿根廷等6國勝出。這是基於金磚擴員的地區平衡性需要，6國涵蓋了廣大發展中國家所在的亞非拉三大地區，充分彰顯金磚機制定位於全球南方國家的基本屬性；同時擴員也充分考慮金磚的成色因素，6國的GDP總量、人均量、經濟增速均具備新興市場國家的基本屬性，已最大程度地接近金磚成色；除了地區平衡性和經濟規模性之外，這6國均在各自地區具有一定的政治代表性，在地區國家中均扮演重要的地緣政治角色。

擴容後的金磚將站在新的歷史起點，充滿活力地縱橫捭闔於國際舞台，並從三個層面深刻改變世界版圖。

其一，根本改變世界經濟版圖。金磚尚未擴容前，5國的經濟總量亦已佔世界1/4，按購買力平價計算，佔全球經濟比重更是達到31.5%，超過美國主導的7國集團的30.7%。擴容後的11國經濟總量更是可觀，金磚國家對全球經濟增長貢獻率的首要位置將進一步得到夯實。值得一提的是，新成員國多為礦產資源富集國，石油貿易的本幣化結算將有力推動國際貨幣“去美元化”進程。金磚11國攥指成拳，將聯手推動國際貨幣基金組織和世界銀行新一輪份額改革，進一步撼動西方主導的布雷頓森林體系，全球金融版圖必將呈現新面貌。

其二，深刻改變全球地緣政治安全格局。當下，在全球地緣政治衝突不斷的情形下，兩種安全觀形成鮮明對比，一種是倡導政治外交解決地緣政治熱點和難點，主張普遍、綜合、可持續的金磚國家新安全觀；另一種是為衝突當事方拱火遞刀子，大打代理人戰爭，實施以盟友為體系、以實力為地位的西方強權安全觀。兩種安全觀高下立見，金磚國家的新安全觀得到全球南方國家的普遍認可，這也是為何絕大數發展中國家在俄烏衝突問題上不但沒有隨美起舞，反而積極斡旋調和的根本原因。金磚力量的壯大意味着世界和平力量的壯大，擴員後的金磚將為不穩定的國際秩序注入更多的穩定性和積極因素，有利於形成一個以和平發展為要義的全球政治安全新格局。

其三，將進一步塑造全球治理新範式，實現全球治理架構再平衡。在“誰來治理、治理什麼、如何治理”的全球治理三大核心內涵問題上，金磚國家的“全球治理”觀明顯有別於美西方的“治理全球”觀。在誰來治理問題上，金磚國家認為，全球事務大家說了算，而不是誰的胳膊粗、嗓門大誰就說了算，國家無論大小、貧富均是全球治理的平等主體。在治理什麼的問題上，金磚國家主張，應以發展為主題，優先治理諸如氣候變化、糧食安全、流行疾病等人類社會共同面臨的挑戰，而不是美西方為一己私利以建設盟友安全體系為重點。在如何治理問題上，金磚國家主張全球事務大家商量着辦，共商、共建、共享。應該說，金磚國家的全球治理觀超越了霸權治理和強權治理的老套路、老思維，創立了平等治理、共商治理、共享治理的新範式。擴員後的金磚勢必將這一受到廣泛認可的治理新範式進一步推廣並使之紮根於全球治理架構中。

中國在此輪歷史性擴員中發揮着積極引領的作用，得到與會國家的高度贊同與認可。中國歷來主張金磚機制的開放性和包容性，歡迎志同道合的新興市場國家和發展中國家加入金磚大家庭。13年前，正是在中國的首倡下，南非加入了金磚，實現了金磚第一輪擴員。2017年，中國創造性提出了“金磚+”理念，倡導更多發展中國家參與金磚發展進程。在2022年的“金磚中國年”，成員國形成了擴員共識。在金磚南非年，中國大力支持南非辦好峰會，積極協調，求同化異，達成了擴員標準、原則和程序的共識，終於實現了金磚發展史上具有里程碑意義的第二輪擴員。

獨行快，眾行遠，滿載全球南方國家的厚望，擴員後的金磚大船再次揚帆起航。金磚國家將踐行真正的多邊主義，推動國際關係民主化、全球治理體系合理化，最終實現金磚國家孜孜以求的全球權力架構再平衡的目標。

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the 15th Brics Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, on August 24. Photo: EPA-EFE

As global governance is faced with the compound effect of imbalance and inefficiency, the development of the global order in the post-pandemic era has come to a crossroads. At this critical juncture, the BRICS Summit was held in South Africa, with Africa steering the agenda.The discussions were well focused. China also played a prominent role at the summit. The BRICS group has achieved a landmark expansion: It is set to welcome six new member countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran and United Arab Emirates, who were drawn from a large pool of applicants. A BRICS group with growing strength is becoming an important force for shaping the international landscape. It is bound to fundamentally alter the contours of the world.

The biggest news of the summit was the expansion of membership. Nearly 50 countries had expressed their interest in joining the BRICS family as part of a worldwide “BRICS wave.” It is a rare phenomenon in the history of international multilateral cooperation that countries scramble to join a multilateral mechanism led by developing countries an emerging markets. This BRICS whirlwind demonstrates the fundamental driving forces behind the major changes and adjustments in the international order, primarily in four aspects:

• First, the global governance system dominated by America and the West has failed, and the Western model underpinned by hegemony and power politics is deeply unpopular.

• Second, the majority of developing countries and emerging markets will not sit on the periphery of the political stage in the 21st century. Rather, they want to pool their strength to attain global institutional power commensurate with their weight, so that through solidarity and unity, they will play a leading role on the international political stage.

• Third, the 17 years since the inception of the BRICS mechanism shows that BRICS is not just a “talk shop” but an “action squad” capable of changing the international landscape. Institutions such as the New Development Bank are signature outcomes of the BRICS mechanism. This bank and other physical institutions have become the BRICS mechanism's golden signboard.

• Fourth, the BRICS mechanism does not reinvent the wheel, nor does it attempt to engage in camp confrontation or replace any existing institution. That position ensures that countries in the Global South that aspire to join the group do not have to take sides.It is these four factors that have continuously empowered the BRICS mechanism by increasing its appeal and influence through openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation like never before.After their selection — following careful consideration — six countries stood out as prospective new members, based on the need for regional balance. 

The six countries are from Asia, Africa and Latin America, regions composed of a vast number of developing countries. This demonstrates the BRICS group is firmly anchored in the Global South.Meanwhile, the BRICS membership expansion takes into account the inherent features of the BRICS mechanism, as the six new members all carry the basic attributes of being emerging market countries as measured by total GDP, per capita GDP and economic growth rate. In addition to regional balance and economic aggregate of the six countries carry some political weight in their respective regions and play an important geopolitical role.

The expanded BRICS will stand as a historic new starting point, making its influence felt globally and profoundly changing the world on three levels:

• First, it will fundamentally change the world's economic landscape. Before the expansion, five of the countries already accounted for one-fourth of the world's economic output. In terms of purchasing power, their share of the global economy reached 31.5 percent, exceeding the 30.7 percent of the U.S.-led G7. The total economic volume of the 11 countries after the expansion is even more impressive, and BRICS as a group is well positioned to contribute more to global economic growth.It is worth mentioning that the new member countries are generally rich in mineral resources, and oil transactions settled in local currency will provide a strong boost to the movement away from the U.S. dollar. The 11 BRICS countries will join hands to push for quota reform at the IMF and the World Bank, thus transforming the West-led Bretton Woods system and reshaping the global financial architecture.

• Second, it will profoundly change the global geopolitical security architecture. At present, in the context of ongoing global geopolitical conflicts, two starkly contrasting security concepts are at play:One is advocacy of political diplomacy to resolve problems in geopolitical hot spots, informed by the BRICS security concept of common, comprehensive and sustainable security. The other is to provide military support to parties to the conflict, which is tantamount to fighting proxy wars, as with the Western concept of security based on alliances and raw power.The new BRICS security concept is widely recognized by the Global South, which is why the vast majority of developing countries refused to follow the U.S. in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The expansion of BRICS means growth in the forces of peace in the world, and the expanded BRICS will inject more stability and positive energy into the unstable international order. This will be conducive to the formation of a new global political and security pattern based on the principle of peaceful development.

• Third, it will further usher in a new paradigm of global governance and rebalance its structure. On the three core questions related to global governance — Who should govern? What should be governed? How should it be governed? — The BRICS view is different from that of the United States and the West.On the question of who should govern, the BRICS countries believe that everyone should be consulted on global affairs, rather than dictated to by who have the strongest muscle or the loudest voice. Countries, big or small, rich or poor, are all equal participants in global governance.On the issue of what to govern, the BRICS countries believe that development should be front and center, and priority should be given to the governance of common challenges such as climate change, food security, pandemics, etc., instead of the United States and the West focusing on the construction of a security system of alliances for their own self-interest.On the issue of how to govern, the BRICS countries advocate consulting each other as equals on global affairs. All should cooperate extensively and share the benefits. It is fair to say that the BRICS view of global governance has transcended hegemonic governance and power governance. It creates a new paradigm of equal governance, common governance and shared governance. An expanded BRICS will advance and entrench this new pattern of governance as it becomes more widely recognized.

China has played an active leading role in this round of historic expansion, which has been highly endorsed and recognized by participating countries. China has long advocated openness and inclusiveness in the BRICS mechanism and welcomes like-minded developing countries and emerging markets to join the BRICS family.Thirteen years ago, on China's initiative, South Africa joined BRICS in its first round of expansion. In 2017, China creatively put forward the concept of BRICS+, calling for more developing countries to participate in the BRICS development process. China held the rotating presidency of BRICS in 2022. In that Year of China, member countries formed a consensus on expansion. Now, in the Year of South Africa, China is lending strong support for hosting the summit. I has actively played a coordinating role, sought common ground and reached a consensus on the criteria, principles and procedures for expansion, culminating in a second round of expansion — a milestone in the history of BRICS development.

Traveling alone, you can go fast. Traveling together, you can go far. The giant ship of BRICS, with its expanded membership, will set sail with greater expectations in the Global South. BRICS members will practice true multilateralism, promote democracy in international relations and build equity in the global governance system. They will ultimately achieve the goal of rebalancing the global power structure for which the group has been striving.