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Representatives from BRICS ministries of health visit a pharmaceutical company in Tianjin on August 2. [Photo/Xinhua]

In the nature of things, challenges will have to be dealt with as they arise. For example, bilateral relationship between China and India, the two fastest growing major economies, has been overshadowed by a new border standoff, triggered by Indian troops illegally trespassing into Chinese territory.

Yet while their relations remain stormy, observers from both sides say bilateral differences will not necessarily undermine multilateral cooperation as such cooperation benefits all.

Lan Jianxue, a researcher with China Institute of International Studies, said though the dispute may constrain bilateral relations to some extent, it is unlikely that the bilateral pressure will spill over to multilateral mechanisms such as BRICS.

Here is another current challenge: Except for China and India, the economic growth of the other three BRICS members has slowed down. In Russia, new Western sanctions have added more hurdles to its economic recovery. Brazil is plagued by political turmoil with three successive presidents charged with corruption. South Africa, the youngest member of the bloc, still needs to strengthen its internal cohesion to concentrate on economic reform.

The widening growth gap among BRICS members themselves raises questions about the unity of the group—Is there still any basis for cooperation among them? Yet there is considerable discussion about how to creatively deal with this situation. Ni suggested finding new economic growth models, undertaking structural reform and seeking new growth momentum, so that commodity-dependent economies in particular can address their growth difficulties. Certainly, the determination to find new ways is there.

China's fast-growing e-commerce industry can be a good growth point for promoting trade and industrial cooperation in BRICS. Chinese e-commerce platforms have been gaining popularity in other BRICS countries and more and more products from BRICS countries are being traded via online shopping platforms such as Alibaba's Tmall.

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