As leaders of the BRICS group of major emerging economies - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - are slated to hold their summit for the first time in Africa in March, BRICS-Africa relations have been thrust into the spotlight. In a recent interview with ChinAfrica reporter Ni Yanshuo, Lu Shaye, Director General of the Department of African Affairs of China's Foreign Ministry, shed light on the importance of the growing ties. Excerpts follow:

ChinAfrica: Leading up to the first BRICS Summit in Africa, media reports said the group has helped raise Africa's international status. Would you like to comment on this?

Lu Shaye: BRICS leaders will gather for the first time in Africa in late March for their fifth summit, which will be held in Durban, South Africa. The event will be conducive not only to deepening cooperation among BRICS countries, but also to promoting collaboration with Africa. While the summit is set to explore the theme of "BRICS and Africa - partnerships for integration and industrialization," a conference for BRICS and African leaders will be convened on the sidelines. The arrangements highlight the importance of BRICS countries' attachments to Africa, as well as their optimism about the continent's future development and readiness to work more closely with African countries. Against the backdrop of a complex and changing international environment and a bumpy global economic recovery, strengthened BRICS-Africa coordination and cooperation will facilitate efforts to jointly continue development, enhance both sides' international status and brighten the prospects for world peace and development.

What role has South Africa played in cementing China-Africa bonds since joining the BRICS group in 2010?

South Africa, a country that has major influence in Africa, took over as the African co-chair of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) last year. Its acceptance into the BRICS group has presented new opportunities for the development of strategic partnerships between China and South Africa, while also unleashing new potential for the expansion of China-Africa ties. China's cooperation with South Africa and Africa at large in the areas of politics, security, trade, finance and international affairs has since made further headway. We are willing to work together with South Africa and other African countries to boost BRICS-Africa dialogue and cooperation, and to make greater contributions to the development of relations between China and Africa, as well as between emerging markets and Africa.

It is reported that the upcoming South African summit will produce a blueprint for a BRICS bank. How are BRICS countries advancing this initiative, and why do they want to establish a bank?  

China is supportive of, and takes an active part in, BRICS financial cooperation. BRICS leaders came up with the vision for a new development bank at their fourth summit in New Delhi in 2012. The bank is designed to finance infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS countries and other developing countries as a complement to the role of existing multilateral and regional financial institutions in spurring global growth and development. The establishment of the development bank is an important part of BRICS financial cooperation. It will help propel reforms of international financial and monetary systems and increase the rights of emerging economies and developing countries in international institutions. China supports progress in this area at the Durban summit.

The attendance of 10 African leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January captured the world's attention. How would you interpret African countries' eagerness to engage in international cooperation?

It was very significant to see 10 African leaders jointly attend the 2013 Davos forum. It was a sign that Africa's interactions with the world have become more frequent under our current international political and economic circumstances. African leaders have demonstrated a strong willingness to actively participate in international affairs, integrate into the globalization process and achieve development in Africa. Their attendance also showed that the world is interested in Africa, and more optimistic about its future development. We hope the international community becomes more responsive to the calls of African countries, renders greater support to their pursuit of peace and development, and contributes more to bigger and better development in Africa.

Despite the fact that economic topics have dominated the agenda of BRICS summits, observers argue BRICS countries are playing an increasingly important role in politics as well as world peace and security. In your view, will the countries strengthen cooperation in these areas in the years to come?

BRICS countries have always closely communicated and coordinated on political and security issues of common concern. They have played a constructive role in safeguarding world peace, security and stability.

In addition to political and security discussions at BRICS summits, BRICS countries have launched platforms for discussion, such as meetings of high representatives for security issues, foreign ministers and permanent representatives to multilateral institutions, at which they have addressed major international political and security issues and reached broad consensus.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa. What, in your opinion, have been the highlights of bilateral relations in these years? What are your expectations for the future development of relations between the two nations?

Chinese and South African people enjoy a profound friendship. The Chinese people stood firm by the side of the South African people during their perseverant struggle against apartheid. Since the two countries forged diplomatic ties 15 years ago, their relations have developed rapidly in a comprehensive manner. Their bilateral relationship has leaped from a Partnership to a Strategic Partnership and then to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, making it one of the fastest developing, most vibrant and important relationships each country has.

With frequent high-level exchanges, China and South Africa have been able to understand and support each other with deepening political trust. On the economic side of things, the total value of bilateral trade between the two nations approached $60 billion in 2012, 37 times that of 1997, the year before they established diplomatic relations. Cooperation in areas such as finance, energy and infrastructure construction have also been in full swing. When it comes to cultural exchanges, among all African countries, South Africa has established the most friendship-city (province and state) relationships with China, and hosts the most Confucius Institutes and has attracted the largest numbers of Chinese tourists and students. Moreover, China and South Africa have closely coordinated within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, the G20, the WTO and BRICS, as well as on major international and regional issues including climate change and the reform of international financial system. As they join hands to protect the shared interests of developing countries, the strategic importance and global influence of the bilateral relationship have both grown.

This year not only commemorates the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa, but is also the first year for the implementation of the outcomes of the Fifth Ministerial Conference of FOCAC in 2012, and a starting point for us to build on past achievements and usher in a new era of China's relations with South Africa and Africa at large. China stands ready to work in concert with South Africa to further deepen cooperation in bilateral, African and international affairs, and to make the China-South Africa Comprehensive Strategic Partnership a model of solidarity and cooperation between major emerging economies. CA