The upcoming BRICS Business Forum will serve as an open platform for enhancing trade cooperation, boosting global stability and promoting world economic recovery against growth headwinds, said its organizer.

Zhang Shaogang, vice-chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, told a news briefing on June 17 that this year the BRICS Business Forum will start in Beijing on June 22 on both online and offline channels.

He said that there will be more than 1,000 officials, diplomats and business representatives from 18 countries participating in this year's forum.

Businesses from 13 countries will be engaged, he said. Most business participants are world-renowned enterprises, he added, and they are also of critical importance to BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), including 40 of the world's top 500 companies, covering areas of energy, finance, aviation, manufacturing, transportation, and also emerging industries such as big data, e-commerce, and new energy.

"This year the forum has drawn wide attention from BRICS countries and beyond, and this has demonstrated the strong attractiveness and vitality of BRICS business cooperation," Zhang said. "We believe business-owners and stakeholders worldwide are willing to see this forum as an important open platform to enhance cooperation and boost global recovery. This also indicates that they are optimistic about China's growth prospects and are willing to enhance their cooperation with China."

He said this year, the forum will be held under the theme of deepening business relations among BRICS countries and jointly creating a bright future for global development. The forum will hold specific discussions focusing on global economic recovery, green transformation and sustainable development, digital economy, enhancing health and medical cooperation under the COVID-19 situation, and boosting the resilience of supply and production chains.

He said he expects this year's forum will boost businesses' confidence in generating mutual benefits via cooperation, enhancing mutual understanding, and formulating valuable policy recommendations for economic development.