Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday concluded a four-day trip to South Africa, where he attended the 15th BRICS Summit and paid a state visit.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the trip is of strategic significance as it inherited the traditional Sino-African friendship, gathered new consensus on South-South cooperation and added positive energy for global peace and development.

It also reflected the significant progress made by emerging markets and developing countries in their efforts to promote the construction of a fair and reasonable global governance system, stressed Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

New height of China-South Africa mutual trust

Wang pointed out that the just concluded state visit is President Xi's fourth state visit to South Africa as president of China and also the only state visit arranged by South Africa during the BRICS Summit.

He recalled that Xi received the Order of South Africa from President Cyril Ramaphosa, which is the highest decoration and the highest honor that South Africa awards to an important and friendly head of state.

Wang highlighted that the two heads of state reiterated that they will continue to support each other on issues involving their core interests and major concerns and promote greater development of the China-South Africa comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era.

In terms of the outcomes, Wang noted that the two countries issued a joint statement, and the two leaders witnessed the signing of a raft of bilateral documents on cooperation.

It is particularly worth pointing out that the visit highlights the important consensus and common interests of China and South Africa on major international issues, the Chinese foreign minister noted. He added that under the strategic leadership of the two heads of state, China and South Africa have reached a new height of strategic mutual trust and that China-South Africa relations have transcended the bilateral sphere and assumed an increasingly important global significance.

As representatives of emerging economies and developing countries, China and South Africa are committed to building a high-level community with a shared future, which will surely continue to provide strong support for building a community with a shared future for mankind, he added.

BRICS starts new journey

Wang said the decision to invite Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Iran and Ethiopia to join BRICS as new members is the highlight of the 15th BRICS Summit as well as a historic moment in the development process of BRICS.

Wang noted President Xi has pointed out with foresight and insight that the BRICS should not become a closed or exclusive bloc but an open and inclusive platform, and that the inclusion of new members and the pooling of new forces are in line with the realistic needs of the development of the BRICS as well as the common interests of the BRICS countries.

The expansion of BRICS will surely push forward the momentum of multipolarization in the world and the democratization of international relations, vigorously promote the development of the global political and economic governance system in the direction of greater justice and rationality, and enhance the representation and voice of emerging markets and developing countries in international affairs, the Chinese foreign minister added.

He also recalled the concrete initiatives proposed by the Chinese president on strengthening BRICS practical cooperation, including the establishment of a China-BRICS Science and Innovation Incubation Park for the New Era, a BRICS Global Remote Sensing Satellite Data and Application Cooperation Platform as well as a BRICS Framework on Industrial Cooperation for Sustainable Development.

Wang hailed the success of the 15th BRICS Summit, saying it strongly countered the murmurs and smears of some countries with a Cold War mentality and strengthened the confidence of the countries of the Global South to unite and strengthen themselves.

The booming development of the BRICS mechanism is an expansion of the South-South cooperation platform, a strengthening of the power to maintain peace, an expansion of the world's front for justice and another important milestone in the solidarity and cooperation of developing countries, he added.

New connotation to China-Africa community with shared future

Nearly five years on, as President Xi once again set foot on the African continent, Wang said Xi's trip reaffirmed China's commitment to always be a firm supporter of Africa's path to modernization and walk side by side with the continent.

Wang highlighted the three initiatives proposed by the Chinese president at the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue, namely the Initiative on Supporting Africa's Industrialization, the Plan for China Supporting Africa's Agricultural Modernization and the Plan for China-Africa Cooperation on Talent Development.

These three major initiatives, which cover the areas that are urgently needed for Africa's modernization and are a vivid manifestation of China's practical support for Africa's development, have been warmly welcomed by the African leaders attending the meeting, Wang added.

President Xi once again explicitly expressed his support for the African Union's accession to the Group of 20, fully reflecting China's support for Africa's upgrading of its international status and discourse, and practicing the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation on multilateral platforms, the Chinese foreign minister also pointed out.

According to Wang, another highlight is President Xi's announcement that China will host the ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) meeting next year, which is another gathering of Chinese and African leaders in China after the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit.

(Cover: From left to right – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa,  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pose for a group photo during the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 23, 2023. /Xinhua)