China’s “BRICS Plus” brings more developing economies to trade table

BRICS

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, second from left, and his wife Entissar Mohameed Amer, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan, right, pose for a photo during the BRICS Summit in southeastern China’s Fujian Province, Monday, Sept. 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)

Five non-BRICS countries have accepted China’s invitation to participate in the 2017 BRICS Summit: Egypt, Guinea, Mexico, Tajikistan, and Thailand.

China has dubbed this “BRICS Plus,” hoping to expand cooperation and trade with developing economies not formally under the BRICS umbrella.

CGTN’s Jim Spellman reports.

As the U.S. moves away from multilateral trade agreements under President Donald Trump, many see an opening for BRICS and BRICS Plus to have a bigger role in the global economy.