Recently, during the 2024 BRICS Nations New Industrial Revolution Partnership Forum held in Xiamen, a collaborative “New International Cooperation Initiative for Industrialization” was jointly released by officials from 15 countries, including China, Russia, and Brazil. This initiative reflects a consensus among nations and serves as a vibrant testament to the technology collaboration among BRICS countries.
“What we’ve seen over the years is that BRICS nations have significantly expanded their technological cooperation, yielding fruitful results. This collaboration has not only propelled economic and social development across BRICS nations but has also enriched the lives of people, giving more substance to our partnership,” stated Wang Lei, a professor at Beijing Normal University and director of the BRICS Cooperation Research Center.
The foundation of technological collaboration among BRICS nations has a long history. The inaugural BRICS Ministerial Meeting on Science, Technology, and Innovation took place in South Africa in February 2014, marking the official establishment of a cooperation mechanism in this field. In March 2015, the BRICS countries signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation, providing a clear framework to guide cooperative efforts.
Since the signing of this memorandum, the BRICS nations have identified 19 priority areas for cooperation and established 13 working groups, focused on fields such as astronomy, marine and polar sciences, and geospatial technology. They’ve also created platforms like the BRICS Young Scientist Forum.
The cooperation in science and technology among BRICS countries stands on broad consensus, structured mechanisms, and effective actions. The results of this collaboration are notable: in Brazil, the project to build wind farms in the small town of Joao Camara leverages Chinese investment and technology to provide clean electricity to thousands of homes; in South Africa, research teams are utilizing Chinese geospatial technology for ecological security monitoring, promoting local adoption of this technology; and experts from China and Russia have jointly developed LED streetlights suited for Russia’s cold climate.
According to Wang Lei, collaboration in technology and innovation among BRICS nations facilitates leapfrog development and enhances international competitiveness. By developing joint research initiatives, these countries can better address their deficiencies, creating complementary advantages that enable co-development in the global technology arena.
As a founding member and a driving force behind BRICS cooperation, China has been proactive in promoting technological collaboration among BRICS countries, exemplifying its responsibility as a major power. During the 15th BRICS Leaders’ Meeting in 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed concrete measures to strengthen BRICS partnerships, including the establishment of the “China-BRICS New Era Science and Technology Innovation Incubation Park” and the exploration of a “BRICS Global Remote Sensing Satellite Data and Application Cooperation Platform.”
For a long time, China has been advocating for enhanced communication and cooperation among BRICS countries, promoting technology transfer. The BRICS Technology Transfer Center, launched in Kunming, has received over 500 requests for international cooperation projects, while the “China-BRICS New Era Science and Technology Innovation Incubation Park” in Xiamen has facilitated the widespread and orderly transfer of technological innovations among BRICS countries.
Wang Lei emphasized, “One flower alone does not make a spring; a hundred flowers in full bloom bring spring to the garden. China is vigorously promoting scientific and technological transfer within the BRICS mechanism to ensure that more people benefit from these technological achievements.”
Taking space cooperation as an example, in Brazil, the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite is safeguarding the Amazon rainforest; in Egypt, the jointly developed Egyptian Satellite 2 meets local needs across agriculture, forestry, and urban development.
“China’s aerospace program not only provides ‘turnkey solutions’ but also engages in capacity building,” explained Qian Hang, an aerospace education expert. “During the joint development of the Egyptian Satellite 2, China has trained local aerospace talent for Egypt, promoted technology transfer, and established local aerospace manufacturing infrastructure, further advancing the international sharing of China’s aerospace technology and standards.”
After years of collaborative development, the BRICS nations have seen a continuous increase in their contributions to global R&D funding, high-tech product exports, and scientific publication outputs, strengthening their role in global economic growth.
The 16th BRICS Leaders’ Meeting is set to take place in Kazan, Russia, from October 22 to 24, marking the first leaders’ summit following the expansion of the BRICS group. In this ambitious era of “big BRICS cooperation,” how can technological collaboration further enhance its impact? Wang Lei believes there are three key areas to focus on: first, to improve the mechanisms for scientific and technological cooperation; second, to identify priority cooperation fields, particularly in areas like artificial intelligence and digital technology; and third, to mobilize societal forces to participate in BRICS technological cooperation, fostering engagement among government, society, and individuals.
“As of now, BRICS nations have become a model for international science and technology innovation cooperation,” said Qian Hang, emphasizing the need for countries to work together to enhance and upgrade their scientific and technological cooperation mechanisms, ensuring that BRICS collaboration becomes even more robust and impactful in the future.
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