On July 24, 2023 local time, Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi held talks with Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor in Johannesburg.

Wang Yi said that the BRICS mechanism is the most important platform for representatives of emerging markets and major developing countries to strengthen dialogue and cooperation, and also the most important channel for the Global South to carry out strategic communication. China fully supports South Africa in successfully hosting the 15th BRICS Summit as the BRICS Chairmanship, to actively respond to the strong voice of relevant countries to participate in BRICS cooperation, promote further development of BRICS cooperation, send a clearer BRICS message, safeguard international fairness and justice, act upon multilateralism, and provide more stability for the world fraught with uncertainties.

Wang Yi said that China-South Africa friendship has a long history, and the two countries have forged deep friendship as comrades and brothers. In the post-pandemic era, the two sides should work together to move the China-South Africa comprehensive strategic partnership towards higher quality, wider fields, and greater depth, to continuously be a good example of solidarity and cooperation among developing countries. China is ready to work with South Africa to continuously support each other, restart exchanges at all levels, strengthen the alignment between the Belt and Road Initiative and the South African Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, expand cooperation in such fields as key minerals, digital economy, clean energy, environmental protection industries, development of maritime resources, and poverty alleviation, and open up broader prospects for China-South Africa relations.

Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor said that South Africa-China relations have been running at a high level. South Africa thanks China for providing South Africa and other African countries with tremendous assistance in fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic, and promoting economic and social development. South Africa is committed to the one-China principle, and is ready to work with China to strengthen Belt and Road cooperation, deepen cooperation in such fields as trade, investment, agriculture, energy, manufacturing and infrastructure development, and constantly deepen the growth of bilateral relations. BRICS is facing important opportunities for development, and South Africa is ready to keep close communication with China and other BRICS members, to ensure that the BRICS Summit will achieve fruitful outcomes and take BRICS cooperation to a new level.

The two sides also had an exchange of views on international and regional issues of mutual interest and concern.