HANGZHOU (China), September 4. /TASS/. The role of the developing countries in the global governance system is growing, and the BRICS member-countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) are the driving force of this process, Chinese President Xi Jinping said at an informal meeting of the BRICS leaders on Sunday ahead of the G20 summit in China’s Hangzhou.

"The joint economic growth of the emerging markets and developing countries is perhaps one of the most significant changes in the modern world, and the BRICS member-countries are the driving force of this process as well as important G20 participants," he said. Xi Jinping also noted that the countries should step up coordination and cooperation for the development of BRICS and the G20 group and pointed to the need "to help strengthen the role of the emerging economies and developing countries" to consolidate their position in the global governance structure.

Informal talks of the BRICS heads of state will become these countries’ preparatory work ahead of the G20 summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping also said.

"Since the beginning of this year, cooperation within the organization has maintained good dynamics thanks to joint work, new results have been achieved," he said.

"I hope that today’s meeting will end favorably and will be a good preparatory work ahead of the G20 summit opening in Hangzhou," Xi Jinping said. "I also hope it will lay the foundation for the BRICS summit to be held in Goa in a month’s time."

At the traditional informal meeting, the leaders of the five nations will discuss issues relating to this association and the G20 agenda. A large-scale BRICS summit is to be held in Goa (India) in mid-October.

Brazil is represented at the meeting by the country’s new President Michel Temer who took office on September 1. He had no official contacts with Vladimir Putin before.

The Chinese president welcomed the new president of Brazil and congratulated him on the success of the Rio Olympic Games.