Xi voices support for greater South African role in world affairs during official visit

AP Archive
Aug 22, 2023
Xi voices support for greater South African role in world affairs during official visit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPdY12w5hCI
(22 Aug 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pretoria - 22 August 2023
1. Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arriving
2. Xi and Ramaphosa sitting
3. Mid of Chinese officials
4. Ramaphosa conferring medal to Xi and the two shaking hands
5. Various of Zheng Shanjie, Chariman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission and Naledi Pandor, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, signing agreement
6. Various of Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister, and Blade Nzimande, South Africa’s Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, signing agreement
7. Mid of Xi approaching lectern
8. Close of Chinese officials
9. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Xi Jinping, Chinese President:
“China is willing to import more high-quality products from South Africa. We will continue to encourage Chinese enterprises to invest and develop in South Africa. We will continue to deepen cooperation in fields such as electricity, new energy, and technological innovation between the two countries.”
10. Mid of South African officials
11. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Xi Jinping, Chinese President:
“We have always believed that China and South Africa are major developing countries and emerging markets with significant influence. We need to be global partners in upholding the global justice. We need to strengthen strategic collaboration, practice true multilateralism, and promote the expansion of the representation and voice of southern countries in the global governance.”
12. Close of Chinese officials
13. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Xi Jinping, Chinese President:
“We firmly support the construction of African integration. We will support a substantial progress African Union’s accession to the G20 this year. We support South Africa to play a greater role in international and regional affairs.”
14. Zoom-out of Chinese officials
15. Xi and Ramaphosa leaving
STORYLINE:
Chinese President Xi Jinping met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday in Pretoria, ahead of a three-day summit of leaders from the BRICS group of emerging economies.

The South African leader said he was seeking “Chinese support for South Africa and Africa’s call for the reform of global governance institutions, notably the United Nations Security Council.”

Xi said China supports South Africa “to play a greater role in international and regional affairs.”

Africa and South America have no permanent representatives on the Security Council despite being home to nearly 2 billion people.

Xi said China was ready for more cooperation with Africa's most advanced economy “to take our comprehensive strategic partnerships to new heights.”

“China is willing to import more high-quality products from South Africa,” said Xi in a speech after a signing ceremony in which the two governments signed eleven agreements.

He said China and South Africa should strengthen “strategic collaboration” in expanding the influence of developing countries in the global governance.

He also said China will help the African Union in joining the G20.

Xi, who has gradually resumed foreign travel after the lifting of his country’s strict COVID-19 restrictions, joined Ramaphosa to watch a ceremonial parade by soldiers at the Union Buildings, the official seat of the South African government.

He then planned to travel 60 kilometers (37 miles) through South Africa’s most important economic province of Gauteng to the summit in Johannesburg.

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