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President Xi Jinping, who is in South Africa on a state visit and for the 15th BRICS Summit, shakes hands with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Tuesday. HUANG JINGWEN/XINHUA

Xi, Ramaphosa agree to enhance representation of developing nations

China and South Africa agreed to keep elevating their bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership and enhance the representation and voice of the Global South in global governance during President Xi Jinping"s state visit to the country on Tuesday.

Xi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa reached the key consensuses in the Chinese president"s fourth state visit over the past decade to the country known as the "Rainbow Nation" for its diverse, multicultural society. The visit comes as the two nations mark the 25th anniversary of bilateral ties.

A total of 26 cooperation agreements were signed between the two nations during the landmark visit, as they pledged to bolster cooperation over the Belt and Road Initiative, innovation in science and technology, the blue, or marine, economy and direct investment.

Ramaphosa rolled out the red carpet for Xi, who arrived late on Monday for the visit and for the 15th BRICS Summit, at the Union Buildings, the official seat of the South African government, where Xi was welcomed by an honor guard and a 21-gun salute.

During their talks, Xi made an appeal for both sides to remain strategic partners with a high level of mutual trust, saying that the nature of China-South Africa relations is that of comrades and brothers.

Both sides should enhance exchanges and cooperation in areas such as legislative bodies, political parties, the military, and local governments, and continue to support each other on issues involving core interests and major concerns, he said.