The parallel session on "BRICS Economic and Trade Cooperation in the Third 'Golden Decade': Prospects and Pathways" of the 9th HongQiao International Economic Forum (HQF) will be held on the afternoon of November 5, 2026, at Conference Room C003, Building C, National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). The session is jointly hosted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, and organized by the School of International Relations and Public Affairs, Fudan University.

BRICS economic and trade cooperation concerns the shared interests of emerging markets and developing economies, and represents an essential pillar for improving global economic governance. In recent years, BRICS countries have witnessed the continuous deepening of economic and trade linkages with steadily unleashed cooperation and development potential. In particular, following the expansion of BRICS, the bloc has registered steady growth in aggregate economic output and global influence, emerging as an indispensable force shaping the global economic landscape. However, the global economic recovery remains fraught with multi-faceted uncertainties. The Global South continues to grapple with challenges including technological transformation, climate change and geo-economic frictions. Against this backdrop, at the critical juncture as the bloc enters its third "golden decade", coinciding with China's upcoming presidency in 2027, advancing practical cooperation in economic and trade fields under the BRICS and "BRICS Plus" frameworks will help unlock BRICS trade potential, enable the Global South to jointly address shared challenges, bolster collective economic resilience, and contribute to stable global economic growth.

This parallel session will feature opening remarks, keynote addresses and thematic roundtable discussions, bringing together officials from BRICS member and partner countries, academics and representatives of international organizations. Participants will conduct in-depth assessments of prevailing global economic trends and attendant risks and challenges, examine progress in intra-BRICS trade cooperation and economic integration, and explore the far-reaching implications of "BRICS Plus" cooperation for global economic governance. Exchanges will center on new dimensions of multilateral cooperation amid the BRICS expansion, and accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals via the "BRICS Plus" mechanism. Drawing on insights from diverse stakeholders, the parallel session will identify viable pathways for BRICS economic and trade cooperation, and articulate the "HongQiao message" for openness and cooperation among BRICS countries.