Singapore’s primary Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao reported that Malaysia and Thailand have recently expressed interest in joining the BRICS group of nations, led by Russia and China.
Last month, the Malaysian government stated that it would start the application process to join BRICS. Since the other BRICS members are very different from Malaysia, the Malaysian government’s decision to apply to join BRICS has led to heated debate among Malaysia’s political parties, with some questioning whether joining the BRICS would bring meaningful benefits to the country. Malaysia’s Prime Minister later stated to Congress that the primary benefit of joining BRICS would be expansion of Malaysia’s economic and trade network.
Thailand formally submitted its application to join BRICS last month. It is worth noting that Thailand is also in the process of applying to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) led by the United States and European countries.
In addition to Malaysia and Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam are also considering joining BRICS.
BRICS is a cooperation mechanism established by Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2009. South Africa joined the group in April 2011. In January this year, the BRICS expanded to include Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Ethiopia. There are more than 40 other countries who also intend to join.
Source: Lianhe Zaobao, July 25, 2024
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/sea/story20240725-4360331