On the morning of August 21, 2023, President Xi Jinping left Beijing by special plane for Johannesburg to attend the 15th BRICS Summit and pay a state visit to South Africa at the invitation of President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa. While in South Africa, Xi Jinping will also co-chair with President Ramaphosa the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue.

Those accompanying Xi Jinping on his visit include Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee Cai Qi, and Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, among others.