By Rhod Mackenzie
China supports the idea of expanding the BRICS (an association that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) in order to strengthen the association's influence on world economic and political processes according to a report in the Financial Times. .
"If we expand the BRICS so that it accounts for the same share of global GDP as the G7, our collective voice in the world will become stronger," a Chinese official told the publication on condition of anonymity.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has invited more than 60 heads of state and government to the summit, some of whom may be asked to join the bloc.
The newspaper writes that at the upcoming BRICS summit in Johannesburg on August 22-24, "China will push the emerging markets block to become a full-fledged competitor to the G7."
The article says that "Western capitals are likely to regard the possible accession of Iran, Belarus and Venezuela as a step to attract allies of Russia and China."
According to the authors of the publication, Argentina, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia also claim to become new members of the association.
The publication writes that on the eve of the summit, questions are being raised about whether the BRICS should be a non-aligned club defending the economic interests of developing countries, or a political force that openly challenges the West.
South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said earlier that it was "grossly wrong" to view the potential expansion of the BRICS as an anti-Western move.
The newspaper, citing sources, noted that "despite the growing dissatisfaction with the dominance of the US dollar" among the members of the organization, the issue of a common BRICS currency is not on the agenda of the summit. However, "instead of moving more broadly towards de-dollarization, the summit could focus on finding an agreement that BRICS members should expand the range of mutual settlements in trade with each other in their local currencies."