from the Voice of America:
Leaders from the group of major developing countries known as BRICS are preparing to meet in Sanya, on the southern Chinese island, Hainan. BRICS is seen as a growing counterweight to the developed countries' dominance in world affairs.
BRIC started off in 2001 as an economic term used to describe four large rising economies - Brazil, Russia, India and China.
In 2009, those four countries gave the term more meaning when they held their first meeting. This year, host China invited South Africa to join and is now calling the grouping "BRICS."
The BRICS nations see themselves as speaking out for developing countries. Brazilian Deputy Minister for Development Industry and Foreign Trade Alessandro Teixeira emphasized that point. .............(more)
The complete piece is at:
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/asia/Five-Large-Developing-Economies-Prepare-to-Meet-in-China-119763324.html