President of the New Development Bank (NDB) Dilma Rousseff has described her recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Shanghai a great success, saying the suggestions made by Xi are "fundamental" for the bank.
Xi visited the headquarters of the NDB in Shanghai on Tuesday and met with Rousseff.
After her meeting with Xi, the NDB president had an interview with the China Media Group (CMG) and thanking Xi for his steadfast support for the institution.
President Xi termed the first 10 years of the NDB as a golden decade, and they discussed the bank's next decade during their meeting, the NDB president said.
Xi made three suggestions on building a second golden decade for the bank, and the suggestions are "fundamental" for the bank, Rousseff said.
"First, we should stay true to our original aspiration and continue to uphold the founding purpose of the New Development Bank - to serve the countries in the Global South, especially the investment and development of the BRICS countries. Second, investment should be directed toward key areas that can bring about transformation for developing countries and emerging economies, such as infrastructure, logistics, social and digital infrastructure. Third, we should unswervingly promote investment in scientific and technological innovation, because applying technologies to various fields such as industry, agriculture and services can drive the transformation and development of the country. President Xi Jinping has a clear vision on the direction of the future development of the bank," she said.
Rousseff also expressed her respect for China's firm, calm and clear position amid global challenges.
"It’s worth noting that during our talks, we also addressed the challenges facing the global landscape. I told President Xi that I have great respect for China’s resolute, calm, and sovereign stance. This firm and clear attitude has earned the respect and admiration of countries across the Global South, and it further reflects that President Xi is one of the greatest leaders of today's world,” Rousseff said.
The NDB was established in 2015 by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa in the capacity of its founding members, with an aim to mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in emerging markets and developing countries.
In 2021, the NDB began expanding its membership and admitted Bangladesh, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay as new member countries.
Rousseff, former President of Brazil, was elected as president of the NDB in 2023 and reelected this March.
NDB president describes recent meeting with Chinese president as great success
NDB president describes recent meeting with Chinese president as great success
