Xi Jinping’s visit to South Africa builds new consensus on South-South cooperation

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s trip to South Africa has strengthened the traditional friendship between China and Africa. 

At the same time, it has built a new consensus on South-South cooperation and added positive energy to peace and development.

At least that’s what Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, said on Friday, August 25, 2023 on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit.

Taking advantage of this visit, he co-chaired with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa the dialogue of China-Africa leaders.

Their talks focused on the desired strategic partnership with high-level mutual trust; a development partnership for common progress; friendly partnerships with deep mutual understanding and goodwill and global partnerships protecting justice; and the desire to jointly build a high-level community with a shared future for the two countries.

The head of Chinese diplomacy also noted that Xi Jinping’s visit to South Africa has yielded fruitful results, namely:

1° the signing of several bilateral cooperation documents in areas such as cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, renewable energy and electricity, agricultural products, special economic zones and industrial parks, blue economy, science and technology innovation and higher education;

2° this visit illustrates the important consensus and common interests of the two countries on major international issues;

3° During his visit, Xi Jinping stressed that the BRICS should not become a closed and inward-looking group, but rather an open and inclusive platform to attract new members and gather new forces, which which meets the practical development needs of the BRICS and serves the common interests of the member countries.

Recall that this is Xi Jinping’s fourth state visit to South Africa as Chinese President.

At the BRICS summit where he took part, he
called on the people of Africa to take responsibility for themselves because they are in the best position to decide on the path that best suits Africa, and that advancing modernization through Integration is the independent choice made by African countries and peoples.

On this path of modernization, he added, China has always been a firm supporter of Africa and has always walked by its side.

Wang said Xi Jinping reaffirmed China’s support for the African Union’s membership in the Group of 20, also announcing that China will host the 9th Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation next year.