Argentina took a new step towards its inclusion as a full member of the Brics group, with the formal endorsement expressed today by Xi Jinping's government of the country's membership in the group of emerging nations and powers comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

This was reported by the Argentine state news agency, Télam.

This Thursday Beijing confirmed its support to Argentina's incorporation to this block of strong economic and geopolitical weight, within the framework of a meeting that Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero held in Indonesia with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.

Beijing's formal support had been anticipated to Chancellor Cafiero this Wednesday by the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China in Buenos Aires, Zou Xiaoli, during a meeting that both officials held at the Chancellery headquarters.

With the explicit support of China, and the approval of Brazil and Russia, Argentina has already formally initiated its process of inclusion in the bloc, which represents a third of the global economy, almost half of the world's population, and contributes 50 percent to the growth of the world's gross product.

In charge this year of the rotating presidency of the Brics, China is actively promoting the incorporation of more countries to the initiative, an objective that was reflected in the declaration of the XIV Summit of Heads of State of the bloc, last June 24, in which President Alberto Fernandez formally requested the country's entry to the group.

The possible entry into the bloc could mean for Argentina -whose economy has a strong dependence on the dollar- a way out of the difficulties that the external restriction represents for the macroeconomic health of the country and the sustainability of its economic growth, as well as a source of financing for large infrastructure projects.

China is currently the second largest trading partner and the second largest destination for Argentine exports.

The acronym BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa: an economic-trade association of the five emerging national economies that in the 2000s were the most promising in the world.

The BRICS were considered the paradigm of South-South cooperation.