The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved 13 new members, the government-run Xinhua news agency reports.

The report said the bank’s board of governors has approved applications from five new regional members – East Timor, Hong Kong, Fiji, Afghanistan and Armenia – and eight non-regional members, including Belgium and Canada.

Thursday’s announcement was the first time the bank has introduced new members and brings its membership to 70 countries and territories.

The prospective members will officially join the bank once they have completed the required domestic processes and made their first financial contribution, the report says.

Portuguese-speaking Countries, Portugal and Brazil, are already members of AIIB.