China’s President Xi Jinping sent greetings yesterday to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) on the occasion of its Fifth Annual Meeting, saying that the organization could “grow into a new platform that promotes development for all of its members and facilitates the building of a community with a shared future for mankind…. In the four years or more since its launch, the AIIB has acted as a truly international, rules-based and high-standard institution and got off to a good start,” Xi said. “From the 57 founding members to today’s membership of 102 spanning six continents and with more good friends and partners getting on board for higher-quality cooperation, the AIIB has established itself in the world as a new type of professional, efficient and clean multilateral development bank.” He said that the role of the AIIB was particularly important in the COVID-19 pandemic and could play a more important role than ever.