China calls on partnership and coordination ahead of Xiamen BRICS Summit

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday that China will strengthen coordination with other BRICS members, including South Africa, to prepare for the BRICS leaders' summit.

Wang Yi made the remarks after meeting his South African counterpart Maite Nkoana-Mashabane in Beijing.

Earlier this month, China released the theme and topics of discussions for the 2017 BRICS Summit – “BRICS: Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future.” The meeting is to be held in southeast China’s coastal city of Xiamen in September.

According to the website of the 2017 BRICS Summit, "the strengthening of BRICS strategic partnership was highlighted both in the 2015 Ufa Declaration and the 2016 Goa Declaration. Building on this, China looks forward to earnestly implementing the leaders' consensus and working with all the other members for an enhanced BRICS Partnership."

Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted economic globalization at the World Economic Forum in January, arguing that blaming globalization for the world’s problems is inconsistent with reality. Instead, “globalization has powered global growth and facilitated movement of goods and capital, advances in science, technology and civilization, and interactions among people,” Xi said.

His message contrasts with recent rhetoric by US President Donald Trump who has sounded a more protectionist tone.

For example, in a recent statement, President Trump said: “we must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies and destroying our jobs. Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.”

Wang told his South African counterpart that the 2017 BRICS Summit will commit to a more inclusive and balanced economic globalization, allowing the BRICS mechanism to play its role of rebalancing globalization.

Wang also applauded the close bilateral ties, featuring "profound" political mutual trust and "fruitful results" of mutually beneficial cooperation.

The two countries will hold the first meeting of the China-South Africa High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism.

On her side, Nkoana-Mashabane said that South Africa regarded China as an important strategic partner and is ready to deepen political and strategic mutual trust, strengthen coordination in regional and international cooperation mechanisms including the BRICS, and further lift bilateral ties to a new high.