Posters for the 16th BRICS Summit are displayed in Kazan, Russia, on October 22, 2024. Photo: VCG

The innovative move of establishing a China Center for Cooperation on Development of Special Economic Zones in BRICS Countries will strengthen connectivity among BRICS members' special economic zones through industrial coordination, policy research, experience sharing and other measures, which will further enhance pragmatic economic and trade cooperation among the BRICS members, a spokesperson of China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Thursday.

China will establish a BRICS Deep-Sea Resources International Research Center, a China Center for Cooperation on Development of Special Economic Zones in BRICS Countries, a China Center for BRICS Industrial Competencies and a BRICS Digital Ecosystem Cooperation Network, Chinese top leader announced  on Wednesday, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

Special economic zones include economic zones, free ports, free trade zones, industrial parks and high-tech parks, which play an important role in promoting trade and investment cooperation, He Yadong, MOFCOM spokesperson, told a press conference in Beijing.

The enlargement of the bloc this year is a milestone in its history. During the BRICS Summit, members of the bloc achieved consensuses on strengthening pragmatic cooperation in sectors including special economic zones, agricultural trade convenience, and trade measures relevant to the environment and climate, which will empower greater BRICS cooperation in the areas of the economy and trade, He said.

"China is willing to join hands with other BRICS members to boost economic and trade cooperation within the bloc to a new level," He said.

With a growing membership, the bloc will create more market opportunities for members and inject fresh impetus into their economic growth, Zhang Hong, an associate research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday.

"BRICS members are expected to take more coordinated actions in terms of economic and trade cooperation, for example, promoting trade convenience and reducing tariffs," Zhang said.