China’s foreign minister calls on BRICS to strengthen strategic minerals cooperation

BEIJING, June 23 (Reuters) – China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on BRICS countries on Tuesday to jointly respond to global challenges from Ebola to AI, and to strengthen cooperation on strategic mineral resources, according to a statement from his ministry. 

• Wang told a meeting in India that BRICS countries should respond to global energy and food security challenges and unite to respond to the Ebola epidemic in Africa.

• The countries should resolutely combat all forms of terrorism and oppose the weaponization of outer space, Wang added, while also calling for close oversight of AI risks.

• Speaking at a security meeting in New Delhi, China’s top diplomat said the group should “hold high the banner of multilateralism” and firmly oppose unilateralism and protectionism.

• “BRICS members need to take the lead in speaking up for justice and delivering fair outcomes, and elevate their standing and role in international affairs,” Wang said.

• He also urged the BRICS to back dialogue and political solutions to resolve disputes and hotspot issues.

• Touching on the U.S.-Iran conflict, Wang said it underscored the importance of upholding international rules, respecting sovereignty and adapting to evolving forms of warfare such as cyber and information warfare.

• “Traditional and non-traditional security threats are increasingly intertwined, making it timely for BRICS to strengthen dialogue and cooperation on security affairs,” Wang told the meeting, according to a separate report from state agency Xinhua.

(Reporting by Shi Bu and Liz LeeEditing by Gareth Jones)