Chinese President Xi Jinping’s State Visit to South Africa, which takes place on Tuesday, the first day of the 15th BRICS summit, carries considerable significance and sets a new high for flourishing South Africa-China relations.
In an interview with IOL, Dr Gideon Chitanga, research associate at the African Centre for the Study of the United States at Wits University, said Xi’s State Visit is taking place at a strategic moment.
"The State Visit by President Xi and his participation at the BRICS summit, particularly the fact that he is going to have a summit with African leaders on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, is very significant in terms of consolidating relations between China and Africa," said Chitanga.
"In the past decade, China has emerged as the biggest investor and development partner on the African continent. We see relations consolidating in terms of official contact at the highest level. This will be President Xi’s fifth visit to the continent since he came into power. There are regular meetings within the framework of Focac (Forum on China-Africa Cooperation) as well as the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative)," he said.
Chitanga said for African nations seeking to revive their economies in the post-Covid-19 era, the BRICS summit is a massive opportunity to woo investors.
"President Xi is visiting at a very critical moment for African countries, characterised by the Covid-19 transition and the need for African countries to reboot their economies, so I think this would be a critical opportunity for China and Africa to look at their challenges and opportunities, and to re-energise their various cooperative agreements.
"It is also a critical moment to show global solidarity within the context of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Africa, like China, has emphasised the need for a diplomatic solution to the conflict, recognising that the conflict has global adverse effects on the economies of different countries, rising inflation, rising prices of food," he said.
On Friday, Chinese Ambassador to South Africa, Chen Xiaodong said Xi’s reunion with fellow BRICS Heads of State and delegations in Johannesburg will reinvigorate energy in the bloc of emerging economies, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Addressing the media at the Chinese Embassy in Pretoria, Chen said the 15th BRICS summit carries special significance.
"This will be the first physical BRICS summit after three years and also the third time that BRICS countries get together in Africa after five years. That carries special significance," Chen told local and international media at the embassy in Arcadia, Pretoria.
"The Chinese side is confident that President Xi’s reunion with the BRICS leaders in South Africa will produce important results and inject new energy into BRICS cooperation."
In March 2013, when Xi made his first trip abroad to attend an international multilateral conference as president, he was visiting South Africa for the BRICS Durban Summit.
"Since then, President Xi Jinping has presided over or attended BRICS Summits for 10 years in a row. He put forward Chinese initiatives and contributed Chinese wisdom to deepening BRICS solidarity," said Chen.
During the BRICS summit this week, the Chinese diplomat said his president will work with other BRICS leaders to actively explore projects that meet the development needs of the five countries and the common interests of their people.
"BRICS leaders will exchange ideas on proposals regarding further cooperation in energy, economy and trade, agriculture, and other fields. They will explore building BRICS cooperation mechanisms for young people and persons with disabilities, so as to take BRICS cooperation to a higher level," said Chen.
Last year, BRICS leaders reached a crucial consensus on BRICS expansion. The leaders supported discussions on the criteria and procedures for expansion," said Chen.
"So far, the international community voted in strong favour of BRICS cooperation. A total of 23 countries have formally applied to join the BRICS mechanism.
"BRICS expansion has become the top trending issue at the moment. Expansion is key to enhancing BRICS mechanism’s vitality. I believe that this year’s Summit will witness new and more solid steps on this front," he said.
The BRICS 15th Summit takes place under the theme: "BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism".
IOL