Just-concluded BRICS, SCO summits highlight China's constructive role

BEIJING - China enables both the BRICS and SCO to embrace fresh opportunities for their future development, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Saturday following the conclusion of two international gatherings in the Russian city of Ufa.

The two summits, namely the 7th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit and 15th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, highlight China's constructive role and further enhance China's strategic mutual trust with relevant countries, Wang said.

Both as multilateral frameworks featuring emerging economies and developing countries, the BRICS and SCO are important platforms for cooperation among today's emerging powers, he said.

The attendance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders, Wang noted, aimed at deepening unity and cooperation among BRICS member states, leading in-depth development of the SCO, promoting construction of the Belt and Road initiative, consolidating results of the WWII victory and safeguarding the existing world order with the UN as the core.

DEEPENING BRICS COOPERATION

The influence, role and status of the BRICS in international affairs have been increasingly lifted since the framework was launched in 2009 in Russia, the Chinese foreign minister said.

Wang noted there are still some complicated factors facing the BRICS, such as the downward pressure due to the sluggish world's economy and external hypes of pessimistic views on the member states' prospect and doubts over the effectiveness of the BRICS cooperation.

In the face of those challenges, Wang said the reunion of the BRICS leaders in Russia signals strong momentum for the cooperation of their countries under the new trend.

The BRICS nations enjoy huge development potentials and the upward trend will not change, President Xi told the summit in Ufa.

The remarks of Xi, which accord with the trend of time and reflect his long-term perspective, boost the confidence and unity of the BRICS and usher in a promising prospect for the member states, Wang said.