Fifth BRICS Sherpa Meeting Kicks off in Changsha

The Fifth BRICS Sherpa Meeting was held in Changsha on November 27, 2017. The Sherpa for BRICS affairs and Vice Foreign Minister of China Li Baodong chaired the meeting. Other Sherpas for the BRICS countries and representatives from the New Development Bank attended.

　　During the meeting, BRICS Sherpas reviewed BRICS cooperation during 2017 and the progress achieved in economic and political security collaboration, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges. They had in-depth discussions on the implementation outcomes of the Xiamen Summit, and agreed to formulate specific working plans to usher in the second Golden Decade of BRICS cooperation. They also exchanged views on BRICS institutional development and achieved broad consensus.

BRICS delegates and the New Development Bank congratulated China on the Xiamen Summit success. It marked a new milestone for BRICS cooperation. They spoke highly of China's outstanding work as BRICS Chairman this year, and recognized the importance of bridging the past and the future in BRICS cooperation. BRICS cooperation is believed to be headed towards a brighter future. Vice Minister Li Baodong thanked his counterparts for their assistance and support of China. He reaffirmed that China would continue to participate in BRICS cooperation in an all-round and active manner to promote a new type of international relations and build a community of a shared future for mankind.

Before the meeting concluded, a brief handover ceremony was held during which China passed the 2018 BRICS Chairmanship to South Africa.

　　China has been the BRICS Chair in 2017 and held the September 3-5, BRICS Xiamen Summit. The Fifth Sherpa Meeting, is the last Sherpa Meeting under China's Chairmanship, and provides a perfect conclusion of the BRICS “Chinese year”.

Background information

　　BRICS is the acronym for an association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Originally the first four were grouped as "BRIC" (or "the BRICs"), before the induction of South Africa in 2010. The BRICS members are all leading developing or newly industrialized countries, but they are distinguished by their large, sometimes fast-growing economies and significant influence on regional affairs; all five are G-20 members. Since 2009, the BRICS nations have met annually at formal summits. China hosted the 9th BRICS summit in Xiamen on September 3rd, 4th and 5th, 2017. The term does not include countries such as South Korea, Mexico, and Turkey for which other acronyms and group associations were later created. (Source: en.wikipedia.org)

　　Sherpas are highly regarded as elite mountaineers and experts in their local area. They were immeasurably valuable to early explorers of the Himalayan region, serving as guides at the extreme altitudes of the peaks and passes in the region, particularly for expeditions to climb Mount Everest. Today, the term is often used by foreigners to refer to almost any guide or climbing supporter hired for mountaineering expeditions in the Himalayas, regardless of their ethnicity. Because of this usage, the term has become a slang byword for a guide or mentor in other situations. (Source: en.wikipedia.org)