Chinese President Xi Jingping (L) with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Pool/Getty Images)
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on global political parties to form alliances and solidarity with like-minded political parties, and applauded the direction in foreign policy taken by the Chinese government.
“Progressive internationalism requires building alliances and solidarity among like-minded parties in both the South and North. It requires bold advocacy for the fundamental transformation of the global balance of forces, a radical restructuring of global governance and the forging of a progressive global movement,” he said.
Ramaphosa was addressing a high level meeting between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and other political parties from across the world on a virtual platform on Wednesday, when he made the remarks.
He said the ANC was “looking forward to deepening the bonds of cooperation” that Chinese president and CPC leader Xi Jinping had “always championed”.
Without mentioning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he said South Africa applauded China’s “foreign policy posture”, because it was “based on the principles of non-interference and mutual benefit”.
Last month, on the first anniversary of the invasion, China’s foreign affairs ministry announced a plan for reaching a political settlement in the Ukraine crisis. Among the 12 points listed was respect for all countries, abandoning the Cold War mentality, ceasing hostilities, halting unilateral sanctions and resuming peace talks.
Washington dismissed the plan from the Russian ally, but Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he welcomed some aspects of it. Xi is reportedly to meet Zelenskiy virtually next week, following a visit to Moscow and meeting with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.
Ramaphosa said on Wednesday: “We are opposed to a unipolar world order driven by unilateralism and continue to strive for a multipolar global order based on mutual respect and the creation of win-win partnerships.”
The president said South Africa’s governing ANC sought to “advance the best in human civilisation”.
“Bold advocacy” was needed to transform the global balance of forces, to radically restructure global governance and to forge a progressive global movement, he said.
“The ANC continues to respect the UN and its charter as the basis for international law. We continue to call for the reform of international institutions, including the UN Security Council and global financial institutions, to foster peace and stability, inclusive economic growth and a development path that leaves no one behind.
Ramaphosa also called for the reform of the United Nations Security Council and global financial institutions.
Last year, he asked the United Kingdom to “raise its voice in favour of more representative and more inclusive international bodies, including the United Nations Security Council and global financial institutions”, he said, while addressing the Houses of Parliament in London.
He said the world had been facing an economic downturn with an increase in poverty and inequality. “This cannot be allowed to happen in a world that wants to strive for peace, justice and equality.”
World leaders should not neglect the role they play in changing the economic fortunes of countries facing difficulties. “This was not the time to be hostile to one another, but to find peaceful solutions to conflicts,” he said.
The South African government has on numerous occasions said that Nato and the UN have not fulfilled their mandates regarding Russia’s war in Ukraine.
In March last year, less than a month after Russia invaded Ukraine, Ramaphosa told parliament that the war could have been avoided if Nato had heeded the warnings from its own leaders and officials over the years that its eastward expansion would lead to greater instability in the region.
In that meeting, Ramaphosa said the war demonstrated the need for a multilateral approach to peace and security, and highlighted weaknesses in the structure of the UN.
“The composition of the UN Security Council, in particular, does not reflect the realities of the prevailing global landscape,” he said, adding that Africa deserved a seat.
South Africa’s relationship with China and Russia, which are part of the Brics bloc, has attracted criticism.
The US House of Representatives is pushing for a resolution for President Joe Biden’s administration to review its relations with South Africa over its decision to host ongoing military exercises with China and Russia as well as other alleged breaches of signed multilateral agreements.
Ramaphosa said the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated both the extent of global inequality and the power of solidarity and cooperation.
He thanked China for its support during the pandemic.
“As countries of Africa, we are grateful for China’s support for our continental response to Covid-19 and for those within the international community that stood by the countries of the Global South as they confronted this devastating disease and its consequences.”
Mandisa Nyathi is a climate reporting fellow, funded by the Open Society Foundation for South Africa