Enhance opportunities, business leaders told

K.V. Kamath, president of the New Development Bank (NDB), attends a groundbreaking ceremony at New Development Bank permanent headquarters building in Shanghai, Sept 2, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

President Xi Jinping called on the business leaders of BRICS countries to make contributions to the economic development and people-to-people exchanges amid the five countries' joint efforts to boost economic cooperation.

Xi was speaking on Monday at the dialogue between leaders of BRICS countries and the BRICS Business Council, as well as the BRICS-led New Development Bank. About 300 people attended the dialogue.

BRICS leaders have agreed to usher in a second "golden decade" of the bloc of emerging markets and developing countries, Xi said, adding that the BRICS Business Council and the New Development Bank should seize the opportunity to achieve more progress.

The president told the businesspeople to take a leading role in translating the consensus of the five countries' leaders into real action to gain common development among the nations.

In his speech, Xi encouraged the BRICS Business Council and the New Development Bank to contribute to the economic growth of BRICS countries and inject new impetus for the development of the emerging markets.

Xi also highlighted the important role that the business leaders are playing in boosting people-to-people exchanges, as "there are thousands of employees and their families behind each enterprise".

During the meeting, the BRICS countries' leaders were briefed by Xu Lirong, chairman of China BRICS Business Council, and K.V. Kamath, president of the BRICS-led New Development Bank.

Xi extended his congratulations for the progress made by the BRICS Business Council and the New Development Bank, saying that the achievement shows the vitality and potential of BRICS cooperation.

The BRICS Business Council has made great efforts in such areas as e-commerce, technological capacity development, standard-setting and experience-sharing in digital economies, while the New Development Bank has pushed forward its new projects steadily and opened its Africa regional center recently, Xi said.

Brazilian President Michel Temer, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Jacob Zuma also delivered speeches at the meeting. All of them expressed recognition for the works and achievements of the BRICS Business Council and the New Development Bank.

Witnessed by the five leaders, the BRICS countries and the New Development Bank signed four documents to boost cooperation in such areas as the economy and trade, innovation, customs and development strategies.