AIIB open to a US membership

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Tuesday that "it is not a bad thing" if the United States, as the world's largest economy, join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

He made the comment after being asked about the recent statement made by US president-elect Donald Trump's adviser James Wooley that the Obama administration's opposition to the AIIB was "a strategic mistake".

"We've noticed related reports," he told a daily news conference in Beijing, noting that the AIIB, just like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, is an independent multi-lateral development institution, and it has attracted major attention and general support from proposal to establishment.

"In terms of receiving new members, the AIIB has its own rules and procedures, so China cannot declare its position either in representative of AIIB or other members," Geng said.

But he also explained that it wouldn't be a bad thing if the US joined the AIIB, and the AIIB has emphasized that it is an open and inclusive organization.

"This is also China's attitude at the very beginning," he said.

The AIIB, which was founded at the end of 2015 and commenced operation in January, now already has 57 founding members from Asia, Europe, South America, Oceania and Africa.

In an interview story published on the People's Daily on Monday, AIIB president Jin Liqun said that the bank is willing to welcome new members, but cautioned that after the next batch of members are admitted, there would be few shares left for possible future participants.