China calls for more collective efforts by BRICS

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02:45

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday called for more collective efforts by the five BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – to promote global peace and stability.

Wang made the appeal at the Formal Meeting of the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs, which was presided over by South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Lindiwe Sisulu and also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Brazil's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcos Galvao.

The top agenda of the foreign ministers' meeting is to lay the groundwork for the 10th BRICS summit to be held in Johannesburg in July.

(From L) Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi , South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Lindiwe Sisulu, Brazil's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcos Galvao and India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swarajon pose for a picture during the BRICS Ministerial Meeting in Pretoria, June 4, 2018. /VCG Photo

In his remarks, the Chinese foreign minister pointed out that the world is witnessing unprecedented changes in a century. Under the circumstances, BRICS should demonstrate an even broader strategic vision, more powerful collective efforts and a stronger will to shoulder responsibilities to bring more welfare to the people and make greater contribution to world peace and development, he said.

Wang said that the BRICS should serve as the powerful engine of global economic growth, providing a lasting driving force. They should make joint efforts to build an open world economy, oppose trade protectionism and unilateralism, and safeguard common interests and development space.

The BRICS should be the central pillar of strength providing powerful underlying support for world peace and stability, he stressed.

Participants at the meeting spoke highly of the remarkable progress achieved in the past decade of BRICS cooperation, and highly appreciated China's important contribution to BRICS cooperation after it served as chair last year.

Sisulu reaffirmed the commitment to cementing the relations among the BRICS countries in her opening remarks at the Formal Meeting of the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) and South Africa's Foreign Minister Lindiwe Sisulu pose for a photograph ahead of a BRICS Foreign Ministers meeting. /VCG Photo

She said BRICS have increased its scope in the last ten years to cover economic, global political, security and social matters.

"There can be no doubt that our shared commitment to BRICS will bear fruit and we will make advances in confronting our common challenges and realizing our common objectives for peace, harmony and greater representation in global governance institutions," said Sisulu.

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Source(s): Xinhua News Agency