{"text":[[{"start":8.92,"text":"The Brics bloc of developing nations has made a fresh push for peace in the Gulf at its annual summit in New Delhi, as the growing costs of the US-led war on Iran weigh on poorer economies."}],[{"start":21.12,"text":"Chinese President Xi Jinping, making his first visit to India in seven years, called on the groups’ 10 member nations to act as peacemakers to stop a war that has “caused serious losses to people across the region”."}],[{"start":33.44,"text":"Two weeks before scheduled talks with US President Donald Trump, Xi also made a veiled dig at Washington, saying the Middle East conflict “does not serve the common interests of the international community”."}],[{"start":45.4,"text":"The recent upsurge in fighting in the Gulf has pushed oil prices higher and threatened energy supplies."}],[{"start":51.2,"text":"Host nation India held bilateral meetings at the summit with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan."}],[{"start":61.52,"text":"Iran’s embassy in New Delhi published a picture of Pezeshkian sitting with the Abu Dhabi crown prince, saying that the two had held talks, but did not give details of the discussions."}],[{"start":71.4,"text":"Despite being on opposing sides in the war, Iran and the UAE both agreed to the summit’s final declaration after an intense diplomatic effort by India to find language acceptable to both."}],[{"start":82.66,"text":"The Brics statement expressed “deep concern” over the escalation of tensions in the Middle East and called for “maximum restraint” and increased efforts at dialogue and diplomacy, but it did not mention Iran by name."}],[{"start":95.28,"text":"Russian President Vladimir Putin also attended the summit but the communiqué made no reference to the Ukraine war. The bloc did condemn unilateral economic sanctions in general, saying they had “far-reaching negative implications for human rights”."}],[{"start":109.88,"text":"India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi went out of his way to welcome Pezeshkian at the summit, which offered a rare chance for the Iranian president to attend a major international forum. Modi held Pezeshkian’s hand, walked alongside him and smiled as they posed for cameras."}],[{"start":124.9,"text":"The meeting also offered India a chance to mend fences with China, with Xi’s presence underscoring the cautious détente pursued by the two Asian powers. As Xi arrived in Delhi, China Southern Airlines announced it would resume direct flights from the Indian capital to Guangzhou after a six-year suspension."}],[{"start":143.2,"text":"The rapprochement remains tentative — Xi’s attendance was only confirmed two days beforehand by Beijing, and Indian officials were unsure until then whether he would come. A bilateral meeting between the two leaders was hastily arranged for Saturday evening."}],[{"start":158.44,"text":"Ties between China and India frayed after clashes in 2020 along their disputed Himalayan border which killed at least 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese troops. It was the latest in a decades-long conflict over a frontier."}],[{"start":173.12,"text":"The thaw between the two Asian powers has acquired extra importance amid Trump’s America-first trade policies, which have mired China in a tit-for-tat tariff war and stalled New Delhi’s attempts to forge a closer relationship with Washington. The Brics statement voiced “serious concerns” about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures which distort trade."}],[{"start":195.3,"text":"For Xi, the Brics grouping offers a platform for his ambition to create an alternative global order as a rival to the US. For Russia, it offers a useful escape from western sanctions."}],[{"start":206.72,"text":"Conscious of the need to avoid provoking Trump, India worked to keep the idea of reducing dependency on the US dollar — a long-held ambition of China, Russia and Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva — off the agenda at this year’s summit."}],[{"start":222.16,"text":"Despite speculation about an announcement on linking up digital payment systems across Brics countries, the final statement said only that discussions to facilitate cross-border payments would continue."}],[{"start":233,"text":"Growing economic rivalry between the Asian giants added another layer of complexity to this year’s meeting. China is closely watching India’s efforts to build itself up as a rival in export manufacturing, wooing Apple to make iPhones and producing semiconductors domestically."}],[{"start":249.84,"text":"“India-China rivalry remains the biggest brake on Brics cohesion,” said Reema Bhattacharya, head of Asia at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft."}],[{"start":258.84,"text":"“New Delhi and Beijing share an interest in greater strategic autonomy from Washington, but remain direct competitors in manufacturing, technology, investment and regional influence.”"}],[{"start":268.68,"text":"“The thaw looks tactical and fragile,” she added. “Bilateral tensions could quickly resurface.”"}],[{"start":279.56,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1789262295_2220.mp3"}