BRICS 2026 Expansion: Turkey's Membership Bid, 10 Partner Countries, and What Chinese Investors Should Watch Ahead of the New Delhi Summit

BRICS 2026扩容：土耳其正式申请加入、10个伙伴国就位，新德里峰会前中国投资者需要关注什么

The BRICS bloc — now comprising 11 full members and 10 partner countries — is approaching a pivotal moment as India prepares to host the 2026 BRICS Summit in New Delhi this September. With the bloc's combined GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) now estimated at 41% of global output (surpassing the G7's 28%), the expansion wave reshaping the grouping carries significant implications for Chinese firms navigating emerging-market investment strategies.

金砖国家合作机制目前拥有11个正式成员国和10个伙伴国，正迎来关键节点——印度将于今年9月在新德里主办2026年金砖峰会。据估计，金砖国家按购买力平价（PPP）计算的GDP总量已达全球产出的41%（超过七国集团的28%），这一扩容浪潮对正在布局新兴市场的中国企业具有重要战略意义。

Turkey's formal application for full membership stands as the most geopolitically consequential development. A NATO member actively seeking China's backing for its bid ahead of the September summit, Turkey's accession would mark the first time a Western military alliance member joins the bloc. For Chinese investors, this signals potential new corridors for infrastructure and manufacturing cooperation — Turkey already recorded approximately $44 billion in bilateral trade with China in 2025, with Chinese exports of electric vehicles and rail equipment accounting for a growing share.

土耳其的正式入盟申请是最具地缘政治影响的发展。这个北约成员国正积极寻求中国支持其入盟申请，若成功，将是西方军事联盟成员首次加入金砖机制。对中国投资者而言，这意味着基础设施和制造业合作的新通道——2025年中土双边贸易额已达约440亿美元，其中中国电动汽车和铁路设备出口占比持续增长。

The 10 partner countries — Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam — represent a diverse pipeline for future full membership. Nigeria, Africa's largest economy, is widely viewed as the natural next African full member. Vietnam and Malaysia, both key nodes in China's regional supply chains, bring ASEAN integration dynamics into the BRICS framework. Over 30 nations have now submitted active applications or expressed official interest in membership, with analysts tracking the New Delhi summit as the most likely moment for a second-wave membership announcement.

10个伙伴国——白俄罗斯、玻利维亚、古巴、哈萨克斯坦、马来西亚、尼日利亚、泰国、乌干达、乌兹别克斯坦和越南——构成了未来正式成员国的多样化后备梯队。尼日利亚作为非洲最大经济体，被普遍视为下一个非洲正式成员国的自然选择。越南和马来西亚作为中国区域供应链的关键节点，将东盟一体化动力带入金砖框架。目前已有超过30个国家提交了正式申请或表达了加入意向，分析人士认为新德里峰会是宣布第二轮扩容的最可能时机。

Key takeaways for Chinese investors: The expansion dynamic is reshaping trade finance, investment protection frameworks, and currency settlement mechanisms. The New Development Bank (NDB), headquartered in Shanghai, is expected to expand its lending footprint as new members join. Chinese firms with existing exposure to partner countries — particularly in manufacturing (Vietnam, Malaysia), energy (Nigeria, Kazakhstan), and infrastructure (Uzbekistan, Thailand) — should monitor the summit outcomes for potential new bilateral investment treaty negotiations and preferential trade arrangements that may emerge from upgraded BRICS membership status.

中国投资者要点：扩容正在重塑贸易融资、投资保护框架和货币结算机制。总部位于上海的新开发银行（NDB）预计将随着新成员加入而扩大贷款规模。已在伙伴国有布局的中国企业——尤其是制造业（越南、马来西亚）、能源（尼日利亚、哈萨克斯坦）和基础设施（乌兹别克斯坦、泰国）领域——应密切关注峰会成果，关注升级为正式成员国后可能带来的双边投资条约谈判和优惠贸易安排。

The September 2026 summit also coincides with ongoing discussions about a common BRICS payment system and deeper local-currency trade settlement, developments that could reduce foreign-exchange risks for Chinese companies operating across the expanding bloc.

2026年9月峰会还恰逢关于金砖共同支付系统和深化本币贸易结算的持续讨论，这些进展可能降低在扩容后的金砖机制内运营的中国企业面临的汇率风险。