FORTALEZA, Brazil, July 15 -- The sixth BRICS summit kicked off in this Brazilian city on Tuesday under the theme of "Inclusive growth: sustainable solutions."

Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the meeting along with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Jacob Zuma.

In addition to the summit, where Xi is scheduled to deliver a speech, BRICS leaders will also meet representatives of the BRICS Business Council and issue a Fortaleza declaration.

On Wednesday, BRICS leaders will travel to Brasilia, where they will meet leaders of the Union of South American Nations.

Ahead of his ongoing Latin America trip, Xi said in a joint written interview with media from four Latin American and Caribbean countries that the world economy is recovering steadily, but still faces many risks and challenges.

"Against this backdrop, the Fortaleza summit has great significance in advancing BRICS cooperation as it will take stock of past progress and plan for the future. I hope that the summit could deepen cooperation, display inclusiveness and convey confidence," said Xi.

The BRICS countries now make up 21 percent of global economic output. During the past decade, the bloc accounted for more than 50 percent of world economic growth.