Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff during the sixth BRICS summit in Fortaleza, Brazil, July 15, 2014. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

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.