Summary
- Southeast Asian nations are interested in joining the Brics economic bloc to diversify financial relationships and gain more independence from Western-led institutions.
- Membership in Brics allows countries to balance economic relationships between China and the US while signaling frustration with the current international financial architecture.
- Expansion of Brics includes countries like Iran, UAE, Ethiopia, and Egypt, with more nations expressing interest in joining.
- Benefits of joining Brics include access to a pool of foreign-currency reserves and loans for infrastructure projects.
