"President Xi Jinping's proposal that BRICS countries serve as four pioneers responds to the main challenges facing the world today and helps BRICS contribute to a fairer and more reasonable international order," Fajar Hirawan, a senior researcher at the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF) in Indonesia, told People's Daily.
"China can leverage its advantages in technology, manufacturing, digital infrastructure and green development to contribute more to BRICS cooperation through knowledge sharing, investment, technological cooperation and human capital development," he said.
Hirawan said China has played an important role in deepening BRICS cooperation, supporting the New Development Bank, initiating the "BRICS Plus" model and expanding cooperation in industrial transformation, digitalization, green development and emerging technologies.
China's promotion of the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution is an example of deepening practical cooperation and expanding into new areas, he added.
He praised China's initiatives to establish a China-BRICS AI development and cooperation center, promote a world AI cooperation organization and take the lead in building a BRICS AI open-source zone, saying these create more opportunities for developing countries to participate in AI development and global governance.
BRICS countries should strengthen cooperation in computing power, talent training, joint research, technology diffusion and governance so that AI benefits developing countries more, he said.
"A defining feature of BRICS cooperation is diversity," Hirawan said. Despite different political systems, development stages and models, members focus on common development and deepen cooperation, reflecting openness, inclusiveness and seeking common ground.
Indonesia's accession to BRICS in 2025 reflects this trend, he said, aligning with its independent and active foreign policy and expanding space for economic and diplomatic cooperation.
Hirawan said Indonesia and China have broad prospects for cooperation in AI, smart manufacturing, industrial upgrading and green technology, building on solid foundations in infrastructure, new energy vehicles and batteries, and digital technology. Linking these bilateral strengths with BRICS mechanisms could create more opportunities, he said.
