Interviewed by CGTN on April 29, Paulo Nogueira Batista, Jr., speaking as one of the founders of the BRICS New Development Bank a decade ago (he served as Vice President for several years), emphasized the significance of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the NDB that day. “The fact that Xi goes to Shanghai, meets with the current president of the bank, Dilma Rousseff, is indicative of the importance that China gives to the bank;” this is a “great thing,” said Nogueira Batista He pointed out that China is the largest economy in the world, the second largest in population, one of the top five largest nations in territory, and is the largest country in the BRICS. China, therefore, holds a lot of influence in the group. In his view, in fact, the BRICS would not exist without China as a member.
Asked how he sees China’s response to the U.S. tariffs, Nogueira Batista responded that he was “very well-impressed” by how China is facing the challenge from the U.S. “China is being measured, firm and retaliating as appropriate,” setting an example for other nations of how to face “a bully.”