From July 2nd to 4th, the 14th World Peace Forum was held in Beijing. During the discussion on the 4th, Shivshankar Menon, a visiting professor at the Arya Vardhan University in India and former Indian National Security Advisor, spoke about BRICS cooperation and international order.
Menon said that the BRICS countries unite the global South. “We all have experienced colonialism, and this brings us two things: first, a commitment to sovereignty; second, none of us want anyone else to speak on our behalf. We are our own spokespersons. We have suffered from white domination, and we know better than anyone what we need.”
Asked about whether India simultaneously joined BRICS and "Quad" is a "double-crossing", Mei Nong replied that the BRICS countries and "Quad" were not contradictory.
Mennon believes that, unlike traditional organizations such as NATO, the Warsaw Pact, and the G7, the BRICS countries and the 'Quad Security Dialogue' were established to address specific issues. These arrangements are more open and flexible, allowing for the participation of various political factions.
"Because we have a solid foundation of shared interests, such as development, peace, and security, these are all experiences we share. We don't want to let others control our lives, that is the basis for our view on these organizations." Mennon said.
