BRICS News

The groundwork for the joint train project signed in Tokyo and Kobe was set during Abe’s visit to India in December last year [Xinhua]
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the Indian state of Gujarat Thursday to join in the ceremony to launch the production of India’s first “bullet train” which will run from the city of Ahmedabad to Mumbai, a 500-km journey.
“My good friend Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a far-sighted leader. He took a decision two years ago to bring high-speed train in India and to create a new India,” Abe said.

Temer has vowed since replacing Dilma Rousseff as president that he will make sure austerity and reform packages are passed through the Senate in a bid to revive the economy and boost business confidence [Xinhua]
A combination of falling interest and inflation rates and a boost in consumer and business confidence is signalling that the Brazilian economy, one of the worst faring in BRICS for the past four years, is finally turning a corner.

Despite weakness in the construction and government services sector, is the South African economy finally turning a corner? [Xinhua]
The South African economy grew by 2.5 per cent in the second quarter after two quarters of contraction
The second quarter 2017 gross domestic product data released by Statistics South Africa on Tuesday exceeded the consensus forecast of 2.1 per cent as it came in at a 2.5 per cent growth rate at a seasonally adjusted annualised (saa) pace.

Zuma with Putin in Xiamen, China on 4 September 2017 [PPIO]Russian President Vladimir Putin held bilateral talks with his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday in the Chinese city of Xiamen.
The three leaders are in China to attend the 9th BRICS Summit.
In his meeting with Modi, Putin praised the Indo-Russian friendship.

Is North Korean leader Kim Jong Un the insane leader of a rogue state as the media makes him out to be? Here, he is addressing the central committee of the ruling Workers’ Party in Pyongyang [North Korean Central News Agency]
News that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, also known as North Korea) on Sunday successfully tested its sixth hydrogen bomb, meant for long-term missile warfare, has brought speculations of a nuclear Armageddon back to the fore.

Leaders of BRICS countries pose for a group photo before the 2017 BRICS Summit in Xiamen, southeast China’s Fujian Province, Sept. 4, 2017 [Xinhua]BRICS leaders met on Monday to forge a consensus on trade, protectionism, North Korea and climate change, among other international hotspots.
After intensive consultations, the final communique, the Xiamen Declaration, notes the need to “redress North-South development imbalances” and to “firmly oppose protectionism”.

South African President Jacob Zuma with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Xiamen, China on 4 September 2017 [Xinhua]Chinese President Xi Jinping and four other heads of state, including South African President Jacob Zuma, on Monday reaffirmed their commitment to build an open economy and ensure free and inclusive trade.
Zuma and Xi held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Xiamen.

BRICS leaders pose for the family photo in Xiamen, China on 4 September 2017 [Xinhua]The BRICS summit in Xiamen, China is going to dominate the political agenda of the five countries with Presidents Putin, Xi, Zuma, Temer and Prime Minister Modi at one table.
BRICS leaders meet to forge a consensus on trade, protectionism, North Korea, the fight against terrorism and climate change on Monday.
At the plenary session of the BRICS Summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the five countries must expand converging trade interests.

Chinese President Xi Jinping greets his Russian counterpart in Xiamen on 3 September 2017 [PPIO]Moscow and Beijing have agreed “to appropriately deal with the latest nuclear test conducted by North Korea”.
Chinese President Xi Jinping met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Sunday, calling for “joint efforts to promote world peace and development”.
China’s Environment Ministry said on Sunday it has started emergency monitoring for radiation along its border with North Korea.

The BRICS Business Forum opens in Xiamen, southeast China’s Fujian Province, Sept. 3, 2017 [Xinhua]In an address at the opening session of the BRICS Business Forum on Sunday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the global economy is “still not healthy enough” and that economic globalisation is facing many uncertainties.
1200 industry representatives from the BRICS nations and other countries were in attendance at the Xiamen business forum. Brazilian President Michel Temer and South African President Jacob Zuma also attended the meet.