The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank announced on Saturday that its Board of Governors has approved seven applications to join

the bank, bringing its total approvedmembership to 77.The applications came fromthree regional prospective members - Bahrain, Cyprus and Samoa - and four nonregional prospective members,Bolivia, Chile, Greece and Romania.

"More and more countries are signing up to become members of AIIB because they see how internationalism can promote development in Asia, with farreaching benefits for the global economy,"said Jin Liqun, AIIB president.