Archive · 11 Sep 2026
China’s Economic Rise Now Dwarfs Its BRICS Partners
BRICS is a group of countries that began working together in 2006.
It was created to give emerging economies a stronger voice in global affairs.
China was already the biggest economy in the group at that time.
Since then, China’s economy has grown much faster than those of the other members.
By 2009, China’s economy was larger than the other original members combined.
By 2026, the article says it will be more than twice as large.
Average incomes in China have also risen compared with Brazil, South Africa, and India.
This raises questions about how much China’s strength may influence BRICS decisions.
BRICS began as BRIC in 2006 and expanded with South Africa in 2010; it now has 11 members.
China’s economy surpassed the combined GDP of the other original BRICS members by 2009.
By 2026, China’s GDP alone is projected in the article to exceed twice that of the other four original members combined.
China’s economy has also opened a large gap over most G7 economies, excluding the United States.
China’s per-person prosperity has risen sharply, although Russia remains ahead and the gap with India has widened.
- Who
- The 11 BRICS members, especially China and the other original members: Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa.
- What
- An analysis compares China’s economic size and GDP per capita with those of BRICS and G7 countries.
- When
- BRICS began in 2006; China surpassed the other original members combined by 2009; the article discusses data through 2026 and an 18th summit on September 12 and 13.
- Where
- The 18th BRICS Summit is to be held in New Delhi, India; BRICS began on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
- Why
- BRICS was created to represent emerging economies and challenge the dominance of industrialized economies in international institutions.
- BRICS membership
- Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates
- Founding format
- The grouping began as BRIC in 2006 and became BRICS when South Africa joined in 2010.
- China’s economic milestone
- China overtook the combined GDP of the other original members by 2009.
- GDP comparison by 2026
- China’s GDP alone is described as more than twice the GDP of the other four original members combined.
- Global position
- China became the world’s second-largest economy after growing rapidly during and after the 2008 financial crisis.
- Per-person prosperity
- In 2006, average Russians, Brazilians, and South Africans were roughly three to three-and-a-half times richer than average Chinese citizens.
- Current per-person comparison
- The article says average Chinese citizens are richer than average Brazilians, twice as rich as average South Africans, and about five times as rich as average Indians.