China, S. Africa set to strengthen ties, amplifying Global South voices

More global south empowered with more voices

China and South Africa must strengthen strategic coordination, practice genuine multilateralism and work to increase the representation and voice of the Global South countries in global governance, Xi said on Tuesday.

Xi's remarks came as BRICS leaders set to meet in Johannesburg from Aug. 22 to 24 to discuss issues including deepening BRICS cooperation, giving more voice to the Global South, and the BRICS group's expansion.

Xi and Ramaphosa will also co-chair the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue.

As a model for China-Africa relations, South-South cooperation, and unity and cooperation among emerging market countries, China-South Africa relationship has offered valuable experience for building an even stronger community with a shared future between China and Africa.

President Xi is advocating for building a multipolar world, instead of a "unipolar world of manipulation, of bullying others by one superpower," said Legoete. "We would agree with President Xi on that."

"That is what we would pursue as part of the outcomes of the BRICS Summit in South Africa," said the South African official. "It is a benefit shared by all people in the world."

The BRICS Summit in South Africa is being held "at a very critical time" when the global community is becoming "very divided and highly polarized," said Anil Sooklal, South Africa's BRICS Sherpa.

"The Global South continues to be marginalized ... We continue to be ignored in terms of global decision-making, and yet the world has changed," he said.

Today's reality is distinct in the sense that "the Global South has risen, it is no longer impoverished, and it cannot be neglected on the global stage," he said, calling BRICS "a catalyst to bring the Global South together."

"It is for the first time in recent geopolitics that you have such a collective and a powerful body representing the voice of the Global South."