Might makes right doesn't hold: At BRICS, Xi calls for end to double standards
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday said the logic of “might makes right” has no place in international affairs and “should have been discarded long ago”, as he called for a global order based on equal rules and without double standards.
His remarks at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi came amid tensions between the US and several countries over Washington’s approach to global trade and international affairs. Xi said the Global South was emerging as a key driver of a multipolar world.
“A world without rules is like a crossroads without traffic lights, where chaos and disorder are all but guaranteed,” Xi said.XI CALLS FOR EQUAL GLOBAL RULES
Xi said international rules must be written by all countries and called on Global South nations to jointly defend the rule of law in international affairs.
He stressed the principles of sovereign equality, noninterference in internal affairs and the peaceful settlement of disputes, saying international law and global rules must apply to all countries without double standards.
“All countries, regardless of their size, strength or wealth, are equal members of the international community,” Xi said.
He also called for greater representation and participation of developing countries in international institutions. Xi urged BRICS nations to uphold the authority of the United Nations and push for reforms to multilateral institutions, including the World Trade Organization and the international financial architecture.
Xi also called for a global governance framework for artificial intelligence, saying countries should work towards building consensus on rules governing the rapidly developing technology.
He said AI should be developed “for the positive and for good” and urged countries to ensure that new technologies contribute to shared prosperity.
China, he said, would support the creation of a BRICS AI open-source community to promote cooperation in developing and applying large language models, alongside AI seminars and training programmes.
Xi also called for stronger BRICS economic cooperation, including efforts to safeguard stable industrial and supply chains and foster a larger integrated market among emerging economies and Global South countries.
He said China would continue expanding its opening up and promoting initiatives aimed at development cooperation with other countries.
Xi urged BRICS members to strengthen cooperation and make the grouping an “active, stabilizing and positive force” in international affairs, saying greater unity among the Global South could help shape a more equitable global order.- EndsWith Shivani Sharma inputsPublished By: Ritaban MisraPublished On: Sep 13, 2026 14:49 IST
