Chinese President Xi Jinping (second left), South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (center), Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (first left), Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (second right) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (first right) pose for a group photo during the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug 23, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

JOHANNESBURG - Chinese President Xi Jinping said here on Wednesday China supports the African Union in joining the Group of 20.

The Chinese side stands ready to share with African brothers its development experience and opportunities, and push for the joint pursuit of a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era, said Xi in his meeting with Senegalese President Macky Sall on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Senegalese President Macky Sall on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug. 23, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Ready to boost mutual support with Senegal

As co-chairs of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China and Senegal have supported and cooperated with each other and successfully held a series of important events including the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19, Xi said

Noting that Senegal is an important partner of China in Africa, Xi said that with joint efforts in recent years, the two countries have enjoyed ever-deepening political mutual trust and fruitful cooperation in various fields.

Xi said that China firmly supports Senegal's endeavors in safeguarding national stability and development, adding that China stands ready to strengthen mutual support with Senegal and deepen cooperation in such areas as industry, agriculture, infrastructure and human resources, jointly safeguard their legitimate right to development, and push for greater development of their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

ALSO READ: Xi calls for more just, equitable world order

He stressed that currently, the international situation is undergoing profound and complex changes, and that China and Africa need more than ever to strengthen solidarity and cooperation.

As co-chairs of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China and Senegal have supported and cooperated with each other and successfully held a series of important events including the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19, he said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Senegalese President Macky Sall on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug. 23, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

China, Xi added, stands ready to work with Senegal to continue to strengthen communication and coordination, push for the implementation of the nine programs announced at the forum, and make new contributions to consolidating China-Africa solidarity and cooperation.

For his part, Sall said that Senegal and China are high-quality comprehensive strategic partners, hailing Xi as a great friend of Africa and Senegal.

He noted that the two sides, in the spirit of sincerity and friendship, have carried out mutually beneficial cooperation in a wide range of fields such as infrastructure, industry, agriculture and education.

Senegal, he said, firmly adheres to the one-China policy, appreciates China's foreign policy of peace, and hopes to work with China to deepen bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

The vigorous Africa-China cooperation meets the development needs of Africa and has been implemented efficiently, which has strongly underpinned the economic and social development of African countries, he said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug 23, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

New opportunities to China-Ethiopia ties

Also on Wednesday, Xi said China is advancing Chinese modernization with its high-quality development, which will bring new opportunities to cooperation between China and Ethiopia.  

Chinese President Xi Jinping said that in recent years, the two countries have maintained frequent high-level exchanges and communication, and have yielded results within the frameworks of the Belt and Road cooperation and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation

China is a reliable friend and a true partner of Ethiopia, Xi said in a meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on the sidelines of the summit.

He noted that in recent years, the two countries have maintained frequent high-level exchanges and communication, and have yielded results within the frameworks of the Belt and Road cooperation and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

Xi stressed that both sides need to continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning their core interests and major concerns, adding that the two countries should strengthen the synergy between the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Ethiopia's Ten Years Perspective Development Plan (2021-2030), and accelerate the development of joint projects including Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway and green development.  

ALSO READ: Full Text: Remarks by Chinese President Xi Jinping at 15th BRICS Summit  

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug 23, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

China encourages more Chinese enterprises to invest and start their businesses in Ethiopia, welcoming the use by Ethiopia of the "green channel" for the entry of African agricultural products to China to expand bilateral economic and trade cooperation, said Xi.

Thanks to the help from and cooperation with China, Ethiopia has achieved significant development and transformations in recent years, said Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, noting that the two countries share similar experiences and have common stands on many major issues

China stands ready to work with Ethiopia in promoting the implementation of the Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa and to make contributions to regional peace and stability, said Xi.

Thanks to the help from and cooperation with China, Ethiopia has achieved significant development and transformations in recent years, said the Ethiopian Prime Minister, noting that the two countries share similar experiences and have common stands on many major issues.

Ahmed said Ethiopia highly values its friendship with China, firmly upholds the one-China policy, supports the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by Xi, and actively participates in the Belt and Road cooperation.

Ethiopia hopes to join the BRICS so as to push for closer cooperation in multilateral mechanisms and open up a better shared future for the two countries.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug 23, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Support Cuba's development

China will also try its best to provide support for Cuba's economic and social development, said Xi in a meeting with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.

Xi stressed that the Group of 77 and China is an important platform for cooperation among developing countries, adding that Cuba, as the current chair of the Group of 77 and China, has made positive contributions to strengthening the unity of developing countries

Xi said that China will continue to firmly support Cuba in defending national sovereignty and opposing external interference and blockade.

Xi recalled that President Diaz-Canel paid a successful state visit to China last November, when they reached a broad consensus on further deepening China-Cuba ties in the new era and agreed to work together to build a China-Cuba community with a shared future.

With the joint efforts of both sides, the consensus is being effectively implemented, Xi said. China is ready to work with Cuba to continue deepening political mutual trust, expanding practical cooperation, strengthening strategic coordination, and pushing for progress in the special friendly relationship between the two parties and the two countries, Xi added.

China praises Cuba's steadfast support for China in issues concerning its core interests, Xi said.

ALSO READ: Xi calls for pushing China-S. Africa ties to new level

Xi stressed that the Group of 77 and China is an important platform for cooperation among developing countries, adding that Cuba, as the current chair of the Group of 77 and China, has made positive contributions to strengthening the unity of developing countries.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug 23, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

China attaches great importance to and supports Cuba in successfully holding the Group of 77 and China Summit next month, Xi noted. China is willing to work with Cuba and other members of the Group of 77 to better safeguard the common interests and development rights of developing countries, Xi said.

For his part, Diaz-Canel spoke of his successful state visit to China last November, saying that both sides are earnestly implementing the important consensus reached by the two leaders.

He said the current Cuba-China relations are at a historical peak, adding that the Cuban people deeply admire President Xi and are grateful for China's understanding and invaluable support for Cuba's just cause.

The Caribbean country is ready to closely collaborate with China to ensure the success of the Group of 77 and China Summit, he said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug 23, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Belt and Road cooperation with Bangladesh

Meanwhile, Xi called on China and Bangladesh to push for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and give full play to their economic complementarity.

At present, both China and Bangladesh are at a critical stage of their own development and revitalization, and the Chinese side is willing to strengthen the synergy of development strategies with Bangladesh, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, push bilateral strategic cooperative partnership to a new level, and better benefit the people of the two countries

Xi, in his meeting with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, also urged the two sides to step up cooperation in infrastructure, information technology, new energy and agriculture, among other areas.

China and Bangladesh enjoy traditional friendship, Xi said, adding that the two sides upgraded bilateral ties in 2016 to a strategic cooperative partnership, which has indicated the direction for deepening their cooperation.

At present, both China and Bangladesh are at a critical stage of their own development and revitalization, and the Chinese side is willing to strengthen the synergy of development strategies with Bangladesh, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, push bilateral strategic cooperative partnership to a new level, and better benefit the people of the two countries.

Xi also said that China supports Bangladesh in safeguarding national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and in opposing external interference, so that the country can maintain domestic unity and stability, and achieve development and revitalization.

READ MORE: Xi arrives in South Africa for 15th BRICS Summit, state visit

Xi also called for stronger personnel exchanges as well as deeper cultural and people-to-people bonds.

He extended congratulations to the prime minister on her country's joining the New Development Bank, saying that China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Bangladesh in multilateral affairs and to safeguard the international equity and justice as well as the shared interests of developing countries.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug 23, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Hasina noted that Xi's state visit to Bangladesh in 2016 has become a milestone in bilateral ties.

She appreciated that China provided invaluable support for Bangladesh's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and for economic development, which has helped promote Bangladesh's development and improved people's lives.

Hasina said the sound Bangladesh-China relationship is based on mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs.

Bangladesh, she said, firmly adheres to the one-China policy and appreciates China's important role in promoting regional peace and stability, adding that her country is ready to deepen ties with China and strengthen cooperation in multilateral mechanisms such as BRICS.

Ready to strengthen cooperation with Iran

On Thursday, Xi said that China stands ready to strengthen cooperation with Iran on BRICS and other multilateral platforms, so as to push for healthy and robust development of multilateralism.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit.

Backing Malawi’s development path

China supports Malawi in exploring a development path suited to its national conditions, and stands ready to continuously offer whatever help China can to the country in its socio-economic development, Chinese President Xi Jinping said here on Thursday.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with his Malawian counterpart, Lazarus Chakwera, on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit.

Safeguarding Congo’ national independence

Also, China will, as always, firmly support the Republic of the Congo in safeguarding its national independence and opposing foreign interference, said Chinese President Xi Jinping here on Thursday.

Xi made the remarks in a meeting with President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit.