African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has called for the advancement of multilateralism at the China-SA Relations Seminar, which took place on Friday.

January 1 marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa.

Mbalula lauded the trade surplus that has resulted from these relations, highlighting that trade between the two countries generated less than R1-billion in 1998 and stood at over R54-billion in 2021. He also applauded the arrival of Chinese Trading Malls, and their significant contribution towards creating employment, with consumers being able to buy and use affordable electronic household goods.

Moving forward, the ANC has urged China to make a significant investment in its mineral exploration initiatives. 

“We aim to capture at least 5% of global exploration funds in the immediate term. Linked to that, as expressed by our President Cyril Ramaphosa recently, we no longer want to export just raw minerals. Instead we want to have our minerals beneficiated here in South Africa as part of our industrialisation drive,” said Mbalula.

He stressed the party’s “non-aligned” stance ahead of the upcoming yearly Brics Summit, set to take place in Johannesburg next week.

“The ANC remains firm in its view that all conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. We totally reject gunboat diplomacy. Again, on this occasion, we amplify what [Chinese] President Xi Jinping said on the profound meaning of international solidarity, that we must help others to succeed while seeking our own success and ensure that all can enjoy the outcomes of modernisation,” he added.

Mbalula noted the geopolitical tensions that were currently gripping the world and alluded that lessons on diplomacy could be learned from China-SA relations. He also highlighted the importance of Brics as a way of promoting a multipolar world.

“Certainly in South Africa we share in this profound value and thereby cherish our continued membership of Brics, working together to usher in a new world underpinned by justice and equality. In this regard, we reiterate our message that Brics is not an enemy to any country or any constellation of countries but rather an example of how the entire world could relate in solidarity underpinned by progressive social, economic and political principles. Brics will certainly advance the cause of multilateralism as opposed to unilateralism. It is precisely why we welcome the geopolitical shifts from a unipolar world to a multipolar world,” Mbalula said.