Chinese President Xi Jinping left Beijing on Monday to attend the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg and pay a state visit to South Africa.

Xi is visiting at the invitation of Cyril Ramaphosa, president of South Africa. The two leaders will co-chair the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue.

Xi's entourage includes Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and director of the General Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and foreign minister.