The Bilateral Trade Performance of the BRIICS

What have been the main driving forces behind the rising trade of large emerging economies such as China or India? What is driving the phenomenal trade growth rates in China? Why is India’s merchandise trade apparently less dynamic? Why has Brazil’s trade lingered around 1% of world trade since the beginning of 1970s? Are the fastest growing emerging economies trading above or below their potentials? These are the questions that often underpin discussions about the opportunities and threats associated with the increasing presence of large emerging economies in the world economy.