President Xi attends BRICS-BIMSTEC leaders' dialogue

Chinese President Xi Jinping attended here Sunday a dialogue between BRICS and BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) leaders on emerging economy cooperation.

Noting that both groups belong to the big family of developing countries, Xi said the emerging-market bloc of BRICS that groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, and the BIMSTEC that comprises Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand, share common desires in safeguarding world peace and regional security, as well as the common needs for economic development and improving people's livelihood and benefits.

The Chinese president noted that all of the BIMSTEC countries are China's good friends, good neighbors and good partners, and have maintained long-lasting friendship and close cooperation with China.

Facing both unprecedented opportunities and challenges, emerging-market economies and developing countries should join hands and make concerted efforts to enhance policy communication and coordination, complement each other's advantages and promote regional economic integration, Xi said.

He called for the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative and the BIMSTEC programs, so as to advance infrastructure construction and connectivity, and strive for common development.

Meanwhile, the BRICS and BIMSTEC countries should also boost friendly exchanges at all levels in such fields as locality, media, think tank and youth, in order to nurture their deeply rooted partnerships, he added.

The Chinese president stressed that the G20 summit in Hangzhou last month has scored a series of fruitful results, which will play a positive role in promoting international development and cooperation, and will help propel the development of BIMSTC countries.

China will always prioritize cooperation with developing countries, inject fresh momentum into South-South cooperation, and open up new prospects for the mutually beneficial cooperation within Asia by upholding its neighborhood diplomacy featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, Xi said.

China stands ready to make joint efforts with all parties to lift the dialogues and cooperation between BRICS members and other sides to new heights, guided by the BRICS spirit of openness, inclusiveness, cooperation and win-win results, he said.

Other BRICS and BIMSTEC leaders also underlined the economic complementarity between their countries and vast cooperation potential.

Noting that the BRICS nations have made important progress in such fields as pursuing innovative development and eliminating poverty, the leaders called on both groups to strengthen cooperation in various areas including connectivity, trade and investment, maritime economy and people-to-people exchanges, so as to join forces for development.

They also voiced support for the two groups to learn from positive experiences, carry out closer cooperation in international affairs, improve global economic governance system and work together to address challenges, thus achieving common development.

The dialogue was held at the eighth summit of BRICS in the western Indian state of Goa.

India is the last stop of Xi's ongoing Asia tour, which has already taken him to Cambodia and Bangladesh. Endi