Johannesburg: The maiden summit of the Group of 20 (G20) nations on the African continent will enable the international community to 'better heed' the voice of Africa, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said during a bilateral meeting with South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa in Johannesburg. This statement comes ahead of the G20 summit, where Ramaphosa is set to host numerous global and multinational leaders, envoys, representatives, officials, and policymakers over the weekend.

According to Anadolu Agency, Li Qiang praised South Africa for its leadership role in the G20 summit. He emphasized that the summit 'will enable the international community better to heed the voices of African and other developing countries,' a sentiment he expressed in a video record shared by South Africa's president. The summit is significant as South Africa is the only African nation among the world's top 20 economies, and the African Union, comprising over 50 African nations, was added as a member last year.

In his remarks, President Ramaphosa highlighted the opportunity to strengthen political, diplomatic, and cultural ties with China. He noted on the social media platform X that this summit is an 'opportunity for our two countries to advance strategic objectives in trade, investment, industrialization, multilateral cooperation, and governance, while deepening political and diplomatic ties.' Ramaphosa emphasized the close relationship between South Africa and China, marking 25 years of diplomatic relations in 2023, with bilateral trade reaching approximately $35 billion.

Li Qiang's visit to South Africa follows official visits to Zambia and Russia. South Africa currently stands as the largest African exporter to China, further underscoring the significance of the diplomatic and economic discussions taking place during the G20 summit.