The headquarters building of the New Development Bank (NDB) in Shanghai. (PHOTO: XINHUA)

By Staff Reporters

BRICS countries vowed to use innovative and inclusive solutions including digital and technological tools, to promote sustainable development at the newly concluded summit.

The 14th BRICS Summit, with the theme of Foster High-quality BRICS Partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development, was held from June 23 to 24.

China, as the chair nation of this year's summit, said that BRICS countries need to uphold the pioneering spirit, innovation and cooperation, to improve global science and technology governance and allow more people to access and benefit from the scientific and technological advances.

This year, China has accelerated the building of the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution Innovation Center in Xiamen, and hosted the Forum on the Development of Industrial Internet and Digital Manufacturing and the Forum on Big Data for Sustainable Development.

In addition, BRICS countries agreed on the Digital Economy Partnership Framework, issued the Initiative for Cooperation on Digitalization of Manufacturing, and established a BRICS Vaccine R&D Center, a network of technology transfer centers and an aerospace cooperation mechanism.

Events held in areas such as scientific and technological innovation (STI), people-to-people exchanges and sustainable development, have provided new platforms for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries.

BRICS countries reiterated the importance of further enhancing BRICS solidarity and cooperation, and issued the Beijing Declaration at the 14th BRICS Summit on June 23.

All parties acknowledged the progress of BRICS cooperation on STI, especially the flagship projects initiative aiming to find effective STI solutions to global challenges.

The declaration vowed to carry out cooperation on R&D and application of new and emerging technologies, to address the most pressing problems in developing countries, such as poverty, hunger and climate change, as well as promoting the application of aerospace and big data technologies to accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.