BRICS Plus highlighted as key to cooperation

Xi calls on developing countries to help safeguard multilateral trading system

President Xi Jinping highlighted on Friday the importance of enhancing cooperation between BRICS members and other emerging markets as well as developing countries under the BRICS Plus mode.

While attending the BRICS outreach dialogue meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, Xi pointed out that it is of great significance for the emerging markets and developing countries to maintain unity and enhance cooperation at a time when these countries are facing similar opportunities and challenges.

BRICS Plus cooperation, created at last year's Xiamen summit, was continued at the Johannesburg summit, with leaders of developing countries outside BRICS invited to join the dialogue.

The emerging markets and developing countries should boost understanding, support each other and build inclusive and cooperative partnership under the BRICS Plus mode, Xi said.

Developing countries should make full use of their complementarity to achieve innovative and inclusive development, Xi added.

The president also said the developing countries should jointly safeguard the multilateral trading system, build an open world economy and increase their representation on the global stage.

Developing countries should firmly uphold multilateralism, push the international order to develop in a fairer direction and jointly implement the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Xi said.

Last year, China, then holding the rotating chairmanship of BRICS, introduced the concept of BRICS Plus, which entails a dialogue with emerging markets and developing countries.