China welcomes, supports Dilma Rousseff as new NDB president

BEIJING, March 30 (Xinhua) -- China welcomes Dilma Rousseff to assume her new post as the president of the New Development Bank (NDB). China will continue to deepen all-round cooperation with the NDB and support her work in China, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

According to media reports, the Board of Governors of the NDB elected Dilma Rousseff as the bank's president on March 24. Rousseff arrived in Shanghai on March 27.

"The New Development Bank (NDB) is one of the landmark achievements of BRICS cooperation," spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily news briefing when answering a relevant query.

Over more than seven years since its establishment, the bank has approved 99 loan projects totaling more than 34 billion U.S. dollars, providing a guarantee for infrastructure construction and sustainable development of emerging markets and developing countries, Mao added.

In addition to its founding members, Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, and Uruguay have also become or will soon become members of the NDB family, Mao said. She added this fully demonstrates the vitality and international influence of the BRICS cooperation mechanism.

Mao noted that Rousseff, as a well-known politician and economist, has been actively committed to the cause of global development for a long time and enjoys an outstanding reputation and significant influence in the international community. China appreciates the Brazilian government's nomination of Rousseff as president of the NDB, which fully shows the importance it attaches to the NDB and the BRICS cooperation mechanism.

"As the host country, China welcomes Rousseff to assume her new office, will continue to deepen all-round cooperation with the NDB, and fully support her in her smooth performance of duties in China," Mao said.

Mao added China looked forward to more achievements and development under Rousseff's wise and professional leadership with the concerted efforts of all member states and greater contributions to the development and prosperity of BRICS and other emerging markets and developing countries.