People walk near the venue of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug. 21, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

China has called on the business communities of all BRICS member countries to work unitedly, redouble efforts and make tangible moves to chart a great course together in the future at the annual meeting of the BRICS Business Council.

The event, a key mechanism for exchanges and cooperation among the business communities of the BRICS countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, was held on Monday in Johannesburg, South Africa, as a sideline event of the 15th BRICS Summit.

"The Chinese side put forward a four-point proposal for strengthening exchanges and cooperation among the business communities of the five member countries," said Chen Siqing, chairman of the BRICS Business Council's China chapter and chairman of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, during a news briefing on Tuesday.

The proposal involves adhering to openness and inclusiveness to build a broader partnership and upholding mutual benefit and win-win outcomes to promote accelerated economic recovery, Chen said.

In addition, China suggests adhering to innovation's leading role in tapping new momentum for growth, and encourages solidarity and cooperation in jointly addressing risks and challenges, he added.

The BRICS Business Council, which was established in 2013 during the fifth BRICS Summit in Durban, South Africa, holds regular dialogues among the business communities and governments of the BRICS countries and proposes solutions to issues.

This year has been declared as the "Year of South Africa" by BRICS amid the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the BRICS Business Council.

"After 10 years of unremitting efforts, BRICS business cooperation has become increasingly diversified. Economic and trade exchanges have become closer, yielding hard-won results and promising future prospects," said Chen.

"Standing at the critical juncture of the past and the future, all parties should join hands and work together to promote BRICS business cooperation and create a better future with greater efforts and more practical measures," he added.

During this year's meeting, the council jointly deliberated on and adopted its annual report for 2023.

The council put forward more than 30 professional recommendations to the governments of the BRICS countries on themes ranging from trade and investment to agricultural development and connectivity among markets.

It issued a joint statement on promoting trade and investment among BRICS countries, which Chen said "will provide a boost to the common prosperity of BRICS countries and Africa".

The China chapter also embarked on exchanges and sought more consensus with representatives of other BRICS countries on deepening cooperation in key areas and promoting the recovery of the global economy, Chen said. The goal is to make further, greater contributions to promoting mutual benefits and win-win situations among the five countries, he added.

Busi Mabuza, chairwoman of the South Africa chapter of the BRICS Business Council, said that as the global influence of the BRICS countries continues to grow, their business communities continue to benefit from BRICS cooperation.

Looking ahead, the business communities will be the driving force behind the sustainable development of the BRICS countries and should strengthen exchanges and cooperation for the benefit of all developing countries, she told the Economic Daily newspaper.

Lan Qingxin, a professor in the School of International Trade and Economics at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, noted that the BRICS countries are among the world's major suppliers and users of bulk commodities, as well as the world's major product manufacturers and service providers.

Noting that China has been the backbone of promoting BRICS cooperation and expanding the influence of member countries, he said it is necessary to advance BRICS members' investment and trade facilitation measures, fully tap the potential of production capacity cooperation, and form a stable industrial supply chain system of BRICS member countries.

"The BRICS countries, with their huge market size and potential, occupy a pivotal position in the global economy. They have strong momentum to promote international economic development and social progress. They are demonstrating great influence in promoting the recovery of the world economy," he said.

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