As China confronts those concerns,the South Africa summit will bring Xi into the orbit of leaders he hasn’t seen in months,including a bilateral meeting with India’s Prime Minister,Narendra Modi,that is expected to take place on the sidelines of the summit.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers his opening remarks at the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg. Some 20 nations are said to be interested in joining the group.Credit:Reuters
Xi’s speech would have been his first public remarks delivered abroad this year. Prior to South Africa,the Chinese leader had spent just two days overseas in 2023,when he visited Russia.
Putin too took multiple shots at the West,using a 17-minute prerecorded speech that was aired on giant screens to rail at what he called “illegitimate sanctions” on his country and threatening to cut off Ukraine’s grain exports permanently.
His speech centred on the war in Ukraine and Russia’s relationship with the West even though South African officials had said East-West frictions and geopolitical tensions should not dominate the first in-person summit since before COVID-19.
The West’s attempts to punish and isolate Russia financially for sending troops into Ukraine were an “illegitimate sanctions practice and illegal freezing of assets of sovereign states,which essentially amounts to them trampling upon all the basic norms and rules of free trade,” the Russian leader asserted.
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Moscow pulled out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative which allowed for Ukraine grain to pass through the waters last month and stepped up drone and missile attacks on the city of Odesa in southern Ukraine,home to one of the ports the controlled the passage agreement covered.
The US and other Western nations have not directly targeted Russian agricultural exports,but moves to restrict Russia’s access to international financial payment systems under some sanctions have made it difficult for the country export food,fertiliser and other products.
“With these facts in mind,since July 18 we have refused to extend the so-called deal,” Putin said. “We will be ready to get back to it,but only if all the obligations to the Russian side are truly fulfilled.”
Xi,Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva,Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ramaphosa were all expected to meet over dinner at a luxury estate in suburban Johannesburg. Putin also planned to take part virtually,officials said.
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The leaders were expected to discuss the top agenda point for the three-day summit,a possible expansion of BRICS. They were scheduled to reconvene for the main day of talks on Wednesday.
The five BRICS countries are already home to 40 per cent of the world’s population and responsible for more than 30 per cent of global economic output,and more than 20 nations have applied to join,according to South African officials,including Saudi Arabia,Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister,Prince Faisal bin Farhan,and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi planned to attend.