Vietnam has become a partner country of BRICS, the coalition of emerging economies led by China and Russia.
According to major foreign news outlets on June 15 (local time), the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which holds the BRICS chairmanship this year, announced that Vietnam has joined BRICS as its 10th partner country.
The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "Vietnam boasts a population of about 100 million and a rapidly developing economy, is firmly integrated into the global value chain, and plays an important role in Asia."
Other partner countries besides Vietnam are Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.
BRICS has been pursuing expansion in recent years, including the admission of Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia, as its 10th full member in January. The other existing full member countries are Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Brazilian government will hold the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro on July 6-7.
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