Our reporter Wu Guoxiu sat down with Lin Songtian, the Chinese Ambassador to South Africa in Pretoria. Lin said South Africa makes BRICS more representative and adds strong momentum to the bloc.

LIN SONGTIAN CHINESE AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH AFRICA "One of the most important expectations, is what voice will the BRICS give out, on protecting multilateralism in trade, anti-unilateralism or trade protectionism. The summit's theme is seeking common growth in the fourth industrialization. I think it meets the time and peoples' needs. African countries have high expectations for this summit. Nine African state leaders will come to talk with BRICS leaders."

"South Africa makes the BRICS more representative, covering Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe. It's the leading force in Africa with absolute regional influence. The country also sticks to its own principles in the international community. It has shown a clear stance on the Palestinian issue, when something happens in Israel and the Middle East that we don't want to see. It recalled its ambassador and downgraded its embassy to a representative office. The South African government has also voiced out against unilateralism and trade protectionism, injecting strong energy to the BRICS.

"The relationship between China and South Africa sets a good example for China-South Cooperation and South-South cooperation. China has been South Africa's largest trade partner for 9 years, South Africa has been China's largest trade partner in Africa for 8 years. China is South Africa's major source of investment and tourists. According to our incomplete statistics, there are over 10 thousand Chinese companies in South Africa."