South Africa unlocks gateway to continent

Sanya, Hainan -South Africa has become a gateway to the African continent for other countries in the BRICS bloc of developing economies.

"We support infrastructure development in Africa and its industrialization," said a declaration from the five countries - China, Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa.

South Africa's inclusion for the first time at Thursday's summit signifies an important evolution of BRICS into a mechanism covering Asia, Africa, Europe and America, further enhancing its representation and voice.