China welcomes more countries joining BRICS, because the bloc is committed to strengthening the representation and voice of emerging and developing countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Tuesday, a day after Bangladesh confirmed that it had applied for membership.
"China is committed to advancing the expansion process. We welcome as many like-minded partners as possible to join the BRICS family as soon as possible," Ning said at a briefing, commenting on Bangladesh's application.
She said that the expansion of the bloc is a political consensus of the five BRICS countries.
"The BRICS countries are an important platform for cooperation between emerging and developing countries. They have always been committed to defending multipolarity, actively promoting global governance reform, and strengthening the representation and voice of emerging and developing countries," Ning added.
Countries, predominantly from the Global South, have been lining up to join the group, which accounts for about a quarter of global gross domestic product and more than 40% of the world's population. The aspiring member states include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Algeria, and Argentina.