Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu hosts 2022 the First BRICS Sherpas' Meeting

On January 18, 2022, China's BRICS Sherpa and Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu hosted 2022 the First BRICS Sherpas' Meeting attended by the BRICS Sherpas of Russia, India, Brazil and South Africa as well as representatives of relevant departments of China.

Ma Zhaoxu said, currently, the once-in-a-century changes and pandemic together accelerate the evolution of the international landscape. Globalization encounters setbacks and the pandemic keeps raging, imposing severe impacts on countries, especially the emerging markets and developing countries. After 16 years' development, the BRICS mechanism has become an important platform for strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation among the five countries and an important force for the evolution of international order, the improvement of global governance and the promotion of common development. Facing the complex and changing international situation, the five BRICS countries should safeguard the common interest of the emerging markets and developing countries and play a greater role in upholding multilateralism, enhancing anti-pandemic cooperation and boosting economic recovery.

Ma Zhaoxu said that as the chair of the BRICS this year, China is willing to work with all sides to facilitate the building of a more comprehensive, closer, more practical and more inclusive BRICS partnership centering on the theme of "forming a high-quality partnership to jointly create a new era of global development" for the purpose of stronger, greener and sounder global development. Ma Zhaoxu briefed on the overall vision of BRICS cooperation for the year, stressing that China will do its best to host this year's BRICS Summit and activities throughout the year, and present fruitful cooperation results in such fields as pursuing multilateralism, solidarity in combating the pandemic, boosting economic recovery, promoting effective and pragmatic cooperation and accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. China will facilitate the BRICS countries to strengthen strategic communication and make BRICS voices on major international issues. China will ensure continuous cooperation and implement the outcomes of all the previous BRICS Summits. China will expand the breadth and depth of cooperation in answer to the call of new situations and new requirements. China will focus on sustainable development and make active efforts to present cooperation highlights. Upholding the principle of comprehensiveness, respect, inclusiveness, consensus and coordination, China will cement BRICS cooperation in all fields step by step and help BRICS cooperation develop in an in-depth, practical and continuous manner.

Representatives of the countries unanimously applauded China's overall working idea and vision throughout the year, saying that China has identified the cooperation focal points that agree with the evolution of the international situation and the characteristics of BRICS cooperation, are sustainable, innovative and forward-looking, and reflect the open, inclusive and win-win cooperation spirit of partnership. All sides stated that they will wholeheartedly support China's role as the chair, actively participate in cooperation in all fields, and work together to make new achievements in the three-pillar-driven cooperation in the areas of economy and finance, political security, and people-to-people exchanges. They believe that led by China, the BRICS "China Year" will achieve fruitful outcomes to add new momentum to the development of the BRICS mechanism and make new contributions to the global sustainable development.

On January 1, 2022, China officially took over the BRICS chairmanship, and will host a series of activities including the 14th BRICS Summit. The Sherpas' Meeting is the first official event held by China after the takeover of the BRICS chairmanship, and serves mainly as a kickoff of the political preparations for the summit. At the meeting, relevant departments of China elaborated on the cooperation vision for various fields. All sides made in-depth discussions and reached wide consensuses on the key fields of BRICS cooperation and work plans for this year, laying a foundation for cementing the preparations for the summit.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs