Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in South Africa for his fourth state visit, coinciding with the 15th BRICS Summit. President Xi was greeted with a cultural performance and a military parade by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) upon his arrival at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport at midnight on Monday.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed President Xi and will host him in Pretoria, the executive capital, before the commencement of the BRICS summit, scheduled from August 22 to 24. BRICS, which stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, represents a significant portion of the global economy and population, encompassing a quarter of the world’s economy and over 40% of its population.
In his weekly column, President Ramaphosa highlighted the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Africa and China, emphasizing the strong trade and investment ties between the two nations. He noted China’s significant achievements, including lifting nearly 800 million people out of poverty over four decades, and expressed that South Africa has much to learn from China’s development path.
The BRICS summit will also see the participation of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Over 30 heads of state and government from across Africa are expected to attend.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, currently facing an international arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, will not attend the summit. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will represent him.
In preparation for the summit, President Ramaphosa emphasized South Africa’s independent stance in global affairs, stating that the country will not be swayed to align with any particular global power or bloc of nations, despite external pressures. This statement reflects South Africa’s commitment to maintaining its autonomy in international relations.
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