BEIJING, September 3. /TASS/. China and South Africa plan to strengthen interaction within BRICS and put economic development issues on the agenda of international cooperation, according to a joint statement of the two countries after the talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Beijing.
"The parties agreed to further strengthen coordination within the BRICS cooperation mechanism and work to achieve more practical results of cooperation in the expanded BRICS format," the document said.
China and South Africa expressed their intention to "actively promote the return of development issues to the center of the international cooperation agenda." They also aim to implement the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
China highly appreciates South Africa's active role in the "historic expansion" of BRICS membership, the document said.
BRICS was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India and China, with South Africa joining in 2011. Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia will become full members on January 1, 2024. Russia chairs the group this year.