Russia and China in BRICS: Convergences and Divergences

Abstract

Both Russia and China are important actors of the BRICS group. Russia and China have substantial stakes in the BRICS group to enhance their foreign policy objectives. However, their approach differs because Russia wants to make the BRICS a most prominent geopolitical entity to Western hegemony in international relations. At the same time, China intends to use the BRICS in enhancing its foreign economic policy with the BRICS group. Therefore, the chapter is a comparative study of Russia and China’s foreign policy in the context of the changing political dynamics in international relations, emphasizing BRICS. Further, it will deal with Russian and Chinese convergences and divergences within BRICS and their common challenge in changing global politics. The chapter’s primary focus is on how these countries could use the group to balance the emerging volatile world order.KeywordsRussiaChinaBRICSGlobal Southand International relations