The 14th summit of the BRICS group of countries -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- commences today in China, where it is being hosted virtually by President Xi Jinping. The fact that BRICS continues to exist and make progress, notwithstanding intensified military tensions between China and India as well as differences among member states over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, shows that this is an institution that still partly serves the national interests of its constituent members.