SHANGHAI, September 7. / TASS /. The BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) have set an example of open international cooperation amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Alexei Gruzdev said on Tuesday in a video message to the participants of the BRICS Forum on Partnership on New Industrial Revolution.
"No doubt, the pandemic has greatly affected all sectors of the economy. It has become a serious challenge to global trade and relations, forcing national economies to rebuild supply chains and re-establish links. Nevertheless, the five BRICS countries have set an example of open international cooperation in terms of combating COVID-19 along with the use of each other's achievements, in particular, medicine and vaccines to the benefit of the BRICS members," Gruzdev stated.
According to the Russian deputy minister, digital transformation has become a long-term trend for economic development, including the promotion of various industrial sectors. "In the next few years, efforts should be made to complete the automation of technological processes, production, logistics and management," Gruzdev said, noting that in the next three years, Russia was going to invest about $4 bln in the development of its digital industry. "And we are ready for mutually beneficial interaction in this field," the official mentioned.
Gruzdev also emphasized the importance of implementing programs to reduce environmental emissions, pointing out that all BRICS countries had already announced plans in this area. "We are willing to cooperate with the BRICS countries in these fields as well as to join scientific and commercial projects," the deputy minister stated.
The BRICS Forum on Partnership on New Industrial Revolution is taking place on the sidelines of the China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT), which will open on September 8, 2021, in Xiamen.