President Xi Jinping is scheduled to participate in the 15th BRICS Summit set to take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, says Hua Chunying, Spokesperson, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Additionally, President Xi will pay a state visit to South Africa from August 21 to 24.
Xi Jinping’s upcoming journey will mark his second international expedition in 2023, the first being an official state visit to Russia in March. “While in South Africa, President Xi Jinping will co-chair with President Ramaphosa the China-Africa Leaders’ Dialogue,” Hua Chunying informed in her statement. In 2018, Xi had visited to South Africa with the aim of strengthening his nation’s diplomatic and economic connections with the continent.
From August 22 to 24, the leaders of Brazil, China, India, and South Africa, along with Russia’s top diplomat, will convene the meeting under the theme “BRICS and Africa,” as earlier informed by South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor. According to Foreign Minister Pandor, invitations to attend the summit were also extended to 67 leaders across Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Caribbean.
Expanding the BRICS group of nations could be one of the main topics on the agenda of the summit, as South Africa informed last month that more than 40 other nations had expressed interest in joining the grouping. Iran, Argentina, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Indonesia, Egypt and Ethiopia, among other nations have expressed interest in joining BRICS, according to South Africa.
China, aiming to strengthen its geopolitical influence amid ongoing tensions with the United States, is the primary catalyst for this expansion. Russia is also embracing it as a means of surmounting isolation stemming from the Ukraine conflict, as is South Africa. Among the nations, Brazil expresses its scepticism about the enlargement, while India remains uncertain about its stance.
The leaders are anticipated to delve into discussions regarding the enhancement of economic connections among their varied economies. They are likely to partake in a range of conversations focusing on trade and investment prospects spanning sectors such as energy collaboration, infrastructure advancement, digital economy, and employment opportunities.