Today we welcome 6 new members, and the BRICS "expansion" milestone: 6 years of preparation
On the 24th, the 15th special press conference of BRICS leaders announced the invitation to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Iran, and Ethiopia to officially become members of the BRICS family.
The term "BRICS" originally referred to four countries: Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Because the word "BRIC" formed by the initials of these four countries sounds very similar to the English word "brick", it is called the "BRIC countries".
From the initial four member states to continuous development and growth, the expansion process of the BRICS fully demonstrates the vitality, attractiveness, and strategic value of the BRICS cooperation mechanism in international affairs.
In 2006, the foreign ministers of Brazil, Russia, India, and China held their first meeting, marking the beginning of cooperation among the BRICS countries. In response to the financial crisis, the leaders of the BRICS countries held their first meeting in Russia in June 2009. The cooperation mechanism between BRICS countries has officially been launched.
In December 2010, the four countries officially absorbed South Africa into the mechanism based on consensus. The English name of the mechanism is "BRICS". The BRICS countries were therefore renamed as the BRICS countries.
In July 2014, the sixth meeting of BRICS leaders was held in Fortaleza, Brazil. The five countries signed an agreement to establish the New Development Bank of the BRICS countries and establish emergency reserve arrangements for the BRICS countries. In July 2015, the New Development Bank of the BRICS countries officially opened in Shanghai, China.
In September 2017, the 9th BRICS Leaders Meeting was held in Xiamen, China. China has proposed the "BRICS+" cooperation mechanism, opening the door for emerging market countries and developing countries to integrate into BRICS cooperation, so that the impact of BRICS cooperation goes beyond the scope of the five countries, becoming a constructive force in promoting world economic growth, improving global governance, and promoting democratization of international relations.
The leaders of the five countries agree to carry out "BRICS+" cooperation at more levels, in broader fields, and on a larger scale, actively promote the expansion process of the BRICS, promote the BRICS mechanism to keep pace with the times, improve quality and efficiency, and continuously deepen, implement, and go far.