JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday that the BRICS expansion is historic and a new starting point for BRICS cooperation.

Xi made the remarks at a press conference during the 15th BRICS Summit after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that six countries, namely Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, were invited to become new BRICS members. ■