Xi calls for making AIIB new platform for building community with shared future for mankind

Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses the opening ceremony of the fifth annual meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) via video link, in Beijing, capital of China, July 28, 2020. [Photo by Ju Peng/Xinhua]

BEIJING, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for making the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) a new platform that promotes development for all its members and facilitates the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Xi made the remarks when addressing via video link the opening ceremony of the fifth annual meeting of the multilateral development bank.

He called on efforts to make the AIIB a new type of multilateral development bank that promotes development across the world, a new type of development platform progressing with the times, a new type of high-performance institution for international cooperation and a new paradigm of multilateral cooperation.

The AIIB, proposed by Xi in late 2013, was officially launched in January 2016.

"The initiative is designed to develop infrastructure and connectivity in Asia and deepen regional cooperation for shared development," Xi said.

From the 57 founding members to today's membership of 102 spanning the six continents of Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America and Oceania, the AIIB has grown from strength to strength and provided nearly 20 billion U.S. dollars in infrastructure investment to its members.