On July 25, 2023 local time, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi attended the 13th Meeting of BRICS National Security Advisers and High Representatives on National Security in Johannesburg.

Wang Yi said that after more than a decade of development, BRICS has become an important platform for emerging markets and developing countries to seek strength through solidarity. Wang Yi noted that BRICS countries follow the trend of the times, stand on the right side of history and the side of human progress, and this is the bedrock of BRICS cooperation. BRICS countries have continuously advanced three-driver cooperation, namely political and security cooperation, economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, which has yielded fruitful outcomes, and this is the source of confidence for BRICS cooperation. BRICS countries have striven to increase the say and influence of emerging markets and developing countries to constantly inject positive energy into the world of change and disorder, which is the epitome of the capability of BRICS cooperation. Under new circumstances, it is necessary to keep to the direction of future development of BRICS countries, further strengthen political mutual trust and strategic cooperation, continue to provide international public goods that meet the call of the times, strive to translate the BRICS spirit of openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation into concrete actions, and jointly boost the well-established credentials of BRICS cooperation.

Wang Yi noted that to cope with current global security challenges and address security dilemmas, BRICS countries should adhere to mutual respect as the premise, abide by the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, respect each other's legitimate security concerns, and respect each country's rights to choose their political system and development path. BRICS countries should adhere to multilateralism as guidance, safeguard the UN-centered multilateral system, reject unilateralism and hegemony, and oppose undermining the "big family" of multilateral cooperation with enclosed and exclusive "small cliques". BRICS countries should adhere to fairness and justice as the principle, follow international law and universally-recognized basic norms governing international relations, solve disputes through dialogue, resolve differences through consultation, and oppose decoupling and severing industrial and supply chains and double standards. BRICS countries should adhere to solidarity and cooperation as the pathway, integrate individual national security into common security, and join hands to cope with various security challenges and oppose the zero-sum game and the Cold War mentality in the spirit of win-win cooperation.

Wang Yi emphasized that the Global South represents emerging markets and developing countries, and reflects the collective rise of those countries on the international arena. The Global South countries are facing the important mission of rejecting external interference and infiltration, and safeguarding political security and regime security. BRICS countries should maintain firm strategic resolve and confidence, firmly follow their own paths, support each other on issues involving their respective core interests and major concerns, and take real actions to rebut all noises that sow discord among BRICS countries and smear BRICS cooperation. BRICS countries should constantly deepen South-South cooperation, guide the Global South to seek strength through solidarity, jointly safeguard national security and stability, and promote the building of an orderly multi-polar world of equality.

Wang Yi said that solidarity is strength, actions represent direction, and openness provides impetus. China is ready to work with BRICS partners to support each other's efforts to safeguard their respective national security and stability, carry out more practical cooperation in coping with international security challenges, and let the world hear more BRICS messages and witness the greater role of BRICS.

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni of South Africa chaired the meeting. Chief Advisor of the Presidency of Brazil Celso Luiz Nunes Amorim, Secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, and Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval attended the meeting. At the meeting, participants had an in-depth exchange of views on such issues as current security challenges, counter-terrorism and cyber security, food and water security, and energy security, and reached a wide range of consensus. All parties said that faced with various security challenges, BRICS countries should carry forward the BRICS spirit, support multilateralism, build a multi-polar world, oppose unilateral sanctions, jointly combat terrorism, extremism and cross-boundary crimes, join hands to cope with such global challenges as cyber, food security and climate change, promote reforms of the global governance system, increase the representation and say of developing countries, and promote greater democracy in international relations. All parties agreed to strengthen dialogue, consultation, solidarity and cooperation, support South Africa in hosting a successful BRICS Summit, promote the constant development and expansion of BRICS cooperation, and embark on a new journey of BRICS cooperation.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Wang Yi also attended the Meeting of Friends of BRICS National Security Advisers and High Representatives on National Security, and met respectively with Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, Celso Luiz Nunes Amorim, Nikolai Patrushev, Ajit Doval, and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran Ali-Akbar Ahmadian.