BRICS countries have become an important force on the international stage to be reckoned with, Chinese President Xi Jinping said while addressing the 13th BRICS summit on Thursday via video link.

The group is celebrating its 15th formation anniversary. BRICS is the acronym for emerging markets comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

"Over the past 15 years, the five countries have enhanced strategic communication and political trust in the spirit of openness, inclusiveness and equality, respected each other's social system and development path, and explored a sound way for countries to interact with each other," Xi said, adding that the five countries have also conducted practical cooperation in various fields.

Xi also announced that China will take over as the chair of BRICS and host the 14th summit next year.

"China looks forward to working with BRICS partners to deepen cooperation in all areas and build a closer and more results-oriented partnership to meet common challenges and create a better future," he said. 

Global solidarity against COVID-19

China will donate 100 million more doses of COVID-19 vaccines to developing countries by the end of 2021, Xi told the summit, another pledge made by China to fight the pandemic. 

"We need to enhance coordination in COVID prevention, control, boost the research, production and equitable distribution of vaccines as a global public good," he said. 

He noted that a science-based approach to trace the origins of COVID-19 should be firmly upheld. In addition, politicization and stigmatization of the issue should be opposed. 

High quality of cooperation among BRICS countries

Apart from calling for global cooperation on COVID-19 vaccines and public health, the Chinese president also touched on economic, political and security cooperation and people-to-people exchange among BRICS countries.

"We need to implement the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership 2025 earnestly, and expand cooperation in such areas as trade and investment, technology and innovation, and green and low-carbon development," Xi said.

More people-to-people exchanges among BRICS countries will be held next year and China also suggested setting up a BRICS alliance for vocational education to organize vocational skills competitions, Xi added.