I'm not sure why your read of it is that they're doing nothing but being naive trading partners. They managed to open up trade and build their productive forces, without getting subsumed by imperialism, and have since strengthened ties with other anti-imperialist nations, forming a bloc in BRICS that has the potential to become an alternative multipolar power over the imperialist hegemony. It's not all said and done, but they have done and are doing a lot without violence and without exploitation. That doesn't mean they're pacifists who are incapable of putting boots on the ground.