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President Xi Jinping: BRICS Cooperation Will Usher in a ’New Golden Decade’
20 June 2017
EIRNS—Addressing the opening session of the BRICS Foreign Ministers conference today, Chinese President Xi Jinping underscored that cooperation among the BRICS nations "isan innovation, which transcends the old pattern of political and military alliances and pursues partnerships rather than alliances." The BRICS mechanism surpasses "the old mindset of zero-sum game" and instead "practices a new concept of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation." He emphasized that the BRICS cooperation mechanism fits very well the needs of the five member nations. The Chinese leader also emphasized that "the BRICS cooperation mechanism has been in existence for ten years and BRICS members have focused on development, which not only benefits the people in the five countries, but also offers a prescription for the world to address food and security problems... BRICS countries are a community of shared interests and future." He urged the member nations to give "full play to the win-win spirit," and work together to contribute to the organization’s development. He urged them to prioritize development, and to "follow multilateralism and the basic norms of international relations. As long as we think and work toward the same goal, the BRICS cooperation will be more productive and usher in a new golden decade," he predicted. In his remarks at the same meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China "is ready to shoulder the important mission of opening up the second decade of BRICS cooperation. China is ready for discussion on BRICS-Plus coperation patterns and forms." Asked about those expressing doubts about the BRICS’s future, Wang replied, "there are some questioning voices. I think this shows the international community is paying attention to the BRICS. Whether or not the BRICS is fading or not playing an important role, China believes that the important approach is that seeing is believing." He said that all countries should recognize that the BRICS is making a major contribution to global economic development, and that the countries’ economies are showing strong "momentum and vitality." |