Hanoi “stands out as a relevant actor in Asia,” Brazil’s foreign ministry has said Vietnam has joined BRICS as its tenth partner country, marking a significant step in the bloc’s expansion, Brazil’s foreign ministry announced on Saturday. BRICS was established in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining in 2010. The bloc later expanded to include Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Iran. BRICS accounts for around 40% of global GDP in terms of