Xi Jinping arrives in South Africa for BRICS Summit and state visit

China's President Xi Jinping touched down in South Africa shortly before midnight on Monday, embarking on his fourth state visit to the country, coinciding with the 15th BRICS Summit.

Welcomed by host President Cyril Ramaphosa at OR Tambo International Airport, Xi's arrival was accompanied by a cultural song and dance performance, along with a military parade presented by the South African National Defense Forces (SANDF).

On Tuesday, Ramaphosa will extend official state hospitality to the Chinese leader in the capital, Pretoria, ahead of the forthcoming BRICS summit scheduled from August 22 to 24 in Johannesburg.

BRICS, a coalition of emerging economies encompassing Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, presently constitutes a quarter of the global economy, contributing to a fifth of global trade, and collectively representing over 40% of the world's population.

In his weekly column published on Monday, Ramaphosa emphasized that the present year marks 25 years of diplomatic relations between South Africa and the People's Republic of China. Highlighting the longstanding bilateral partnership with China, he stated, "Our relationship with our most prominent trading ally is nearly as old as our democratic journey."

Acknowledging China's remarkable developmental trajectory, Ramaphosa noted, "China's accomplishments include the uplifting of nearly 800 million individuals from poverty over four decades."

He affirmed that South Africa and China share a deep-rooted understanding that trade and investment serve as pivotal agents in elevating the living standards of their respective citizens, solidifying their commitment to mutual growth.

In addition to his participation in the BRICS summit, President Xi will also co-chair the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue alongside Ramaphosa. The summit is poised to witness the presence of numerous African heads of state and government, with over 30 leaders anticipated to attend.

While leaders such as Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be hosted by Ramaphosa, Russian President Vladimir Putin, subject to an international arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Ukraine, will not attend the gathering. Representing Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will partake in the proceedings.