BRICS Summit 2018: Xi urges members to deepen strategic partnership, open up 2nd 'Golden Decade'

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02:22

We begin in Johannesburg, where the leaders of five BRICS nations -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- have attended the 10th BRICS summit. They have exchanged in-depth views on BRICS cooperation and major international issues of common concern, reaching broad consensuses. MA KE has more.

In his speech to the BRICS summit, titled "Turn Our Vision into a Reality0", Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted deep-seated structural problems, geopolitical conflicts, protectionism and unilateralism as factors impacting the external development environment of emerging markets and developing countries.

He stressed that the BRICS countries should have a keen grasp of current trends, and deepen their strategic partnership. President Xi said consolidating a cooperation framework underpinned by economic, political and security ties and people-to-people exchanges will turn the vision of a second "Golden Decade" into a reality.

In his address to the session, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also spoke about the rising unilateralism and protectionism in the world, pointing out their negative impact on emerging market economies and developing countries.

With Brazil facing similar development tasks, its President Michel Temer said the BRICS countries should align their development strategies, and expand on their cooperation.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for all members to cooperate closely under multilateral frameworks, and boost their international influence.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the member countries should help improve global governance, promote multilateralism and make globalization beneficial for all.

The BRICS countries issued the Johannesburg Declaration at the summit, in which they sent a clear signal of their intent to preserve multilateralism and reject protectionism.

The five leaders also witnessed the signing of multiple documents.

This is the second time South Africa has hosted the summit. Many other countries from the continent were invited to attend this year's gathering as guests.

These guests say they hope to benefit from the capital, technology and expertise of the five BRICS countries, and boost the region's industrial capacity.