After more than 30 years of reform and opening up, China increasingly faces challenges in maintaining its sustainable development and defining its role in the world. The rest of the world is readjusting its strategy to a rising China, and China must build favorable external relationships not only for its sustainable domestic development but also for its rising international status. Against this backdrop, China has proposed a strategy of peaceful development and harmonious world order to reassure others of its peaceful intentions and future world vision. In doing so, China values cooperation among emerging powers, especially the BRICS. Compared to the unequal interaction model of the G8+5, BRICS offers an independent platform for emerging powers to work as a group within current international system. China treats BRICS members as major development partners besides traditional ones, like-minded peers regarding world affairs, and new forces in reforming international system. China has confidence in the future of BRICS though aware of the existing differences and distrusts among members. Since its grand strategy is to rise peacefully and constructively, China prefers BRICS as an emerging progressive and cooperative international force to a collective blocking force.
China; Grand Strategy; Challenges; BRICS