South Africa’s Ramaphosa welcomes China’s Xi ahead of BRICS summit
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China’s President Xi Jinping arrived in South Africa and was received by President Cyril Ramaphosa at OR Tambo International Airport.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers his speech at the opening of the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg Wednesday, July 25, 2017. (AP)
China's President Xi Jinping arrived in South Africa at midnight on Monday for his fourth official visit to the country, coinciding with the 15th BRICS Summit.
Upon his arrival at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport, Xi received a warm welcome featuring a cultural performance, a dance presentation, and a military parade organized by the South African National Defense Force (SANDF).
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President Cyril Ramaphosa personally greeted Xi, who is set to be hosted by Ramaphosa in the executive capital, Pretoria, on Tuesday, just before the BRICS summit commences.
The summit, scheduled from August 22 to 24, brings together the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Collectively, these nations comprise a significant portion of the global economy and represent over 40 percent of the world's population.
📸 His Excellency President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China arriving at the OR Tambo International Airport in South Africa for the XV BRICS Summit.
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) August 21, 2023
President @CyrilRamaphosa is hosting the China State Visit at the Union Buildings in Tshwane ahead of… pic.twitter.com/zDmUL9FEuR
In his weekly column on Monday, Ramaphosa emphasized that 2023 marks the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Africa and the People’s Republic of China.
He noted that the bilateral relationship with China, South Africa's largest trading partner, has existed for almost as long as South Africa's democracy. Ramaphosa praised China's achievements, highlighting its remarkable feat of uplifting around 800 million people out of poverty over a span of four decades.
Ramaphosa stressed that South Africa regards China's development path as a valuable lesson and underscored the shared belief of both countries that trade and investment play pivotal roles in enhancing the living standards of their citizens.
All you need to know
South Africa's Johannesburg will be hosting BRICS leaders this week as the bloc eyes placing a number of world-impacting projects in motion as part of plans to steer the global political scene from Western centuries-long hegemony.
The international body has become more attractive to countries, given that its founding members represent more than 40% of the world's population and around 23% of its economy.
The 15th BRICS Summit, themed "BRICS and Africa," will see Ramaphosa hosting not only President Xi Jinping but also India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, along with around 50 other leaders.
Ramaphosa emphasized that South Africa will adhere to its long-standing policy of non-alignment and won't engage in a power contest between global forces, reaffirming the country's commitment to the theme "BRICS and Africa."
Countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran submitted applications to join the body, while countries interested include Argentina, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Egypt, Bahrain, and Indonesia.
