WHILE the Brics countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) in the recently held 15th Brics leaders' summit were preoccupied with discussions on how developing countries can coordinate to identify business opportunities, economic complementarities and areas of cooperation and partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable development and inclusive multilateralism, the United States is fixated in orchestrating the formation of another 'bloc' that targets its usual perceived nemesis and archrivals — China, Russia and North Korea.

On August 18, US President Joe Biden hosted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at Camp David and succeeded in bringing together South Korea and Japan into a trilateral defense, security and military alliance.