Xi, Putin score wins as more Asia leaders aim to join BRICS

Thailand, a US treaty ally, recently announced its intention to join BRICS, a group consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. For countries in Southeast Asia, joining BRICS is seen as a strategy to balance the economic risks from US-China competition. While these nations rely on trade with China, they also value the security and investment provided by the US. Additionally, BRICS membership signals growing frustration with the US-led international order and institutions dominated by Western powers, such as the World Bank and the IMF.