Xiamen prepares for BRICS Summit

2017-05-23
cgtn.com/China Daily

Xiamen, Fujian province, is ready to host the ninth BRICS Summit in September, the Party’s top official in the city announced on May 22.

China holds the rotating chair of the emerging market bloc this year.

Pei Jinjia, Party chief of Xiamen, said the city will be able to provide a safe and comfortable venue for the summit of BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The summit will be held in the coastal city from Sept 3 to Sept 5. It is the second BRICS summit to be held in China. The previous one was held in Sanya, Hainan province, in 2011.

In letters to the leaders of other BRICS countries on Jan 1, President Xi Jinping said China looks forward to working with other member countries to develop a consensus and chart a blueprint for cooperation with a theme of “deepening the BRICS partnership and opening up a brighter future”.

“There are more than 100 days until the summit. We will continue to push forward the preparatory work comprehensively and in an orderly manner,” Pei, who is also deputy secretary-general of a preparatory committee, told a media briefing.

As a popular tourist destination, Xiamen has a developed infrastructure, especially in terms of hotels and exhibition halls, he said.

The city government will beef up the training of volunteers and strengthen security over the next three months, he added.

The city will also provide services to reporters covering the summit, and has already set up a 15,000-square-meter press center.

Hosting the event will be in line with the official frugality campaign, as it will utilize existing exhibition halls and hotels, Pei said.

The hosts will use materials that are environmentally friendly and recyclable to decorate the exhibition halls, he added.

Authorities will try to avoid disturbing residents’ lives during the three-day summit, he said. The city will not shut down factories or offer holidays to residents.

“There will be no traffic restrictions or road closures, except for important sections and key time periods,” he said.

Xiamen, a tourist resort on the southeast coast of China, is known for its mild climate and beautiful scenery. It is one of the four international shipping centers in China.