China welcomes Vietnam to join as BRICS partner country: FM spokesperson

BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- China welcomes Vietnam to join as a BRICS partner country, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday.

Spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked to comment on the news that the BRICS chair Brazil announced the formal admission of Vietnam as a partner country of the group on Friday.

China welcomes Vietnam to join the BRICS as a partner country, Guo said, noting that Vietnam's participation in BRICS cooperation will not only benefit its own development but also align with the common interests of BRICS and the Global South.

"We believe that Vietnam will make positive contributions to the BRICS mechanism," the spokesperson added.

A new partner to the BRICS family marks a further expansion of the mechanism's representativeness and highlights its appeal and influence, Guo said, noting that China stands ready to work with other member and partner countries to build a more comprehensive, close, practical, and inclusive partnership, advance the high-quality development of "BRICS Plus" cooperation, and make greater contributions to upholding multilateralism, defending fairness, and promoting shared development. ■