By Chen Xiaodong
At the invitation of South African President Ramaphosa, Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa and pay a state visit to South Africa from August 21 to 24.
The BRICS mechanism is an important cooperation platform for emerging markets and developing countries. It has become a key force in promoting world economic growth, reforming the global governance system, and upholding international peace and stability.
President Xi’s meeting with BRICS leaders to discuss cooperation will strongly promote the steady and sustained progress of BRICS cooperation and make new contributions to world peace and development.
BRICS cooperation will be further highlighted by solidarity and cooperation. The five BRICS countries have come together to build partnerships, achieve common development, bring about greater democracy in international relations and advance world peace and development.
China has always been a staunch defender of BRICS solidarity and cooperation. Since 2013, President Xi has hosted or attended BRICS Summits for 10 consecutive years, charting the course for deepening strategic partnerships of the BRICS countries and strengthening BRICS solidarity and cooperation.
Practical cooperation will further improve the quality of BRICS cooperation. China has always been an active promoter of BRICS practical cooperation. At the 5th BRICS Summit held in 2013, the Chinese side proposed that BRICS should move toward the goal of integrated markets, multi-tiered network, connectivity by land, air and sea, and greater cultural exchanges, which clearly outlined the direction for BRICS cooperation.
During the 10th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg in 2018, China proposed to jointly build the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR). In 2020, China announced to set up an innovation center for such a partnership in Xiamen, Fujian province, which is expected to play a key role in enhancing BRICS countries’ international competitiveness.
From hosting the BRICS High-level Meeting on Climate Change, the BRICS Forum on Big Data for Sustainable Development, and the BRICS Seminar on Governance and Cultural Exchange Forum, to establishing the BRICS Technical and Vocational Education and Training Cooperation Alliance (BRICS-TCA) and holding the BRICS Vocational Skills Competitions, China has taken real action to energize BRICS cooperation and global development.
The vision for long-term development will add new vitality to BRICS. As an African proverb goes, “If you want to walk fast, walk alone. But if you want to walk far, walk together.” The Chinese often say, “The going is difficult when doing it alone; the going becomes easier when doing it with many others. ” Win-win cooperation is the inherent theme of the BRICS mechanism.
China has always been a builder of the BRICS mechanism. During the 2017 BRICS Summit in Xiamen, President Xi proposed the “BRICS Plus” cooperation approach, leading BRICS cooperation into a new phase.
At last year’s 14th BRICS Summit, President Xi pointed out that BRICS countries gather not in a closed club or an exclusive circle, but a big family of mutual support and a partnership for win-win cooperation.
During the meeting, BRICS leaders reached important common understandings about BRICS expansion and expressed support for discussion on the standards and procedures of the expansion. China welcomes and looks forward to like-minded partners joining the BRICS family.
As developing countries with major influence, China and South Africa enjoy a special bond of “camaraderie + brotherhood.” South Africa was the first African country to sign an agreement with China on jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative.
During his state visit to South Africa, President Xi will exchange views with President Ramaphosa on bilateral ties as well as international and regional issues of common concerns, discuss the future development of bilateral relations, and jointly embark on a new journey of building a high-level China-South Africa community with a shared future.
The giant ship of BRICS will start a new voyage from South Africa. China stands ready to work with all parties to uphold the BRICS spirit of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, open a new chapter of BRICS cooperation, and contribute more Chinese wisdom and strength to maintaining world stability and prosperity, upholding true multilateralism, and building a community with a shared future for mankind.
(Chen Xiaodong is the Chinese Ambassador to South Africa)
