MOSCOW, August 25. /TASS/. The decision to admit six new members to the BRICS association is a big success, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui told TASS on Friday.

"Of course, this is a big success," he said in reply to a corresponding question.

He noted that the Russian side has made "a major contribution to the summit’s success" and took a constructive part in it. He also stressed that Russia and other BRICS members made a decision that "BRICS is entering a new level of cooperation."

The BRICS summit was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from August 22 to 24, 2023 and was chaired by South Africa. With the leaders of 54 African nations invited, this was the biggest meeting of the heads of state and government of the Global South in recent years. Participants in the summit agreed that Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates will join the association from January 1, 2024. A new list of possible members will be compiled by the next BRICS summit.