Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on August 18, 2023

CCTV: China’s Expectations for the BRICS Summit

China announced this morning that President Xi Jinping will attend the BRICS Summit in South Africa. Strengthening BRICS cooperation and BRICS expansion are two topics that have received much attention in particular. Could you share China’s expectation for the summit?

Wang Wenbin: The upcoming summit will be the first in-person BRICS summit in more than three years and the first BRICS summit to be held in Africa in five years. Since its establishment, BRICS has remained true to its founding purpose of seeking strength through solidarity, upheld the spirit of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, and deepened practical cooperation in various fields. It has become an important force driving global governance reform and taken on increasing international influence.

Under the theme of “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism”, the summit will carry forward the sound momentum of cooperation from the BRICS “China Year” 2022 and blueprint a brighter future for BRICS. All sides will have in-depth exchange of views on prominent global challenges, enhance coordination and collaboration in international affairs, inject stability and positive energy into today’s world fraught with uncertainties, and contribute wisdom and strength to world peace and development. They will discuss ways to further deepen and substantiate BRICS cooperation, including practical cooperation in such fields as economy and trade, finance, security, people-to-people and cultural exchange, and global governance, and provide guidance for the mechanism’s sustained steady growth. They will also seek to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between BRICS and Africa and other emerging markets and developing countries and send a strong message of safeguarding multilateralism and focusing on common development.

CRI: Expectations for China-South Africa Bilateral Relations

This year marks the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa. A South African scholar said that the relations between China and South Africa have entered a “golden age”. At this important historical juncture, what expectation does China have for the future of the bilateral relations? What outcomes do you expect this visit to achieve?

Wang Wenbin: During the visit, President Xi Jinping will exchange views with President Ramaphosa on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest, and draw a blueprint for the growth of bilateral relations. The visit will provide strong impetus for building a high-level China-South Africa community with a shared future.

South Africa is China’s comprehensive strategic partner and the first African country that has joined Belt and Road cooperation. In the past 25 years since the two countries established diplomatic relations, this relationship has achieved leapfrog development and reached far beyond the bilateral scope and increasingly bears global significance. In recent years in particular, under the joint care and planning of President Xi Jinping and President Ramaphosa, China-South Africa relations have maintained high-level development, with political mutual trust, practical cooperation, cultural and people-to-people exchange and strategic coordination continuing to deepen. As a South African scholar said, China-South Africa relations have entered a “golden age”, and the future holds great promise for the relationship.

No matter how the international landscape may change, China will not change its commitment to deepening friendship and enhancing solidarity and cooperation with South Africa. We would like to work with South Africa to continue to support each other on issues that bear on each other’s core interests and major concerns, jointly pursue development and revitalization, and make positive contribution to a multi-polar world and greater democracy in international relations. We believe that with the concerted efforts of the two sides, the China-Africa comprehensive strategic partnership will achieve new, greater development.

People’s Daily: Building a Closer China-Africa Community with a Shared Future

We noted that this upcoming BRICS Summit has invited many African countries to attend the “BRICS Plus” activities, and China and South Africa will co-chair the China-Africa Leaders’ Dialogue. What is the consideration for holding this dialogue? Looking ahead, what will China and Africa do to build an even closer China-Africa community with a shared future?

Wang Wenbin: Solidarity and cooperation with African countries are the cornerstones of China’s foreign policy and our longstanding, rock-firm strategic choice. During the upcoming BRICS Summit, President Xi Jinping and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will co-chair the China-Africa Leaders’ Dialogue. The African Co-Chair of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Chairperson of the African Union and representatives of the regional economic communities have been invited to the event.

During the Dialogue, under the theme of “Promoting African integration and jointly building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future”, the two sides will have in-depth exchanges on the ways to work together to advance their modernization and foster a peaceful, just and open environment for development. Carrying forward the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation and aiming for tangible cooperation outcomes, China and Africa will create an even better future for the Chinese and African people and set an exemplary model for advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Global Times: China’s Investment in Africa

According to Africa’s Development Dynamics 2023, a report jointly released by the OECD and the African Union, between 2017 and 2022, China’s greenfield foreign direct investment in Africa stood at USD 74 billion, accounting for 18 percent of the global greenfield FDI inflows into Africa, and in the same tier with Europe and the US. What’s China’s comment on the report?

Wang Wenbin: We have noted the report. Africa is a continent of opportunities and a promising land for investors. Chinese investment in Africa is mutually-beneficial, it meets Africa’s development needs and has delivered benefits to both peoples. In recent years, with guidance and attention from Chinese and African leaders, investment cooperation between our two sides has come a long way.

China’s investment in Africa has seen steady growth and enjoys broad prospects. In the first half of this year, China added USD 1.82 billion in FDI to Africa, up by 4.4 percent year-on-year

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.6: Enhance North-South, South-South, and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology, and innovation.
   • Indicator 17.6.1: Number of science and/or technology cooperation agreements and programmes between countries.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.1: Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, in particular, at least 7 percent gross domestic product growth per annum in the least developed countries.
   • Indicator 8.1.1: Annual growth rate of real GDP per capita.

3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • Target 9.3: Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, particularly in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets.
   • Indicator 9.3.1: Proportion of small-scale industries in total industry value added.

4. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.4: Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage, and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality.
   • Indicator 10.4.1: Labour share of GDP, comprising wages and social protection transfers.

5. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels.
   • Indicator 16.6.2: Primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved budget, by sector (or by budget codes or similar).

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: fmprc.gov.cn

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