China reaffirms support for G20 in South Africa as Ambassador Wu Peng hails Global South’s rise

Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to South Africa, Wu Peng, has reiterated Beijing’s support for the G20 Summit to be held in South Africa later this month.

The veteran Chinese diplomat, who is also the former director-general of China’s Department of African Affairs in the Foreign Ministry, was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Global South Media Think Tank High-Level Forum and China-Africa Partnership Conference, currently under way in Johannesburg, where he hailed the “remarkable rise of the Global South” as one of the defining features of the modern era.

The event was attended by key panelists, including the Executive Chairman of Independent Media and co-chair of the BRICS Media Forum, Dr Iqbal Survé; Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Dada Morero; the Consul General of China in Johannesburg, Pan Qingjiang; and Lv Yansong, Editor-in-Chief of Xinhua News Agency.

Touching on the upcoming G20 Summit, Wu said China looks forward to a successful event in South Africa next week.

“Ladies and gentlemen, friends, next week, the 20th G20 Summit will be hosted in Johannesburg. This will be the first G20 Summit held on the African continent, and South Africa will be the focus of the world’s attention. China firmly supports South Africa’s G20 presidency. We look forward to the summit sending out a strong voice of the Global South, leaving a distinctive African imprint on global governance,” said the former Chinese ambassador to Kenya.

“Of course, recently from the news, we hear that many countries will send their delegations but a few may not. However, China formally supports South Africa’s G20 presidency.”

Earlier, IOL reported that political analyst Angelo Fick has dismissed widespread claims suggesting that the People’s Republic of China is snubbing South Africa, following confirmation that President Xi Jinping will not attend the upcoming G20 Summit in Johannesburg later this month.

IOL also reported that China has confirmed Premier Li Qiang will represent Beijing at the summit in Johannesburg, leading the Asian giant's high-level delegation to South Africa.

Speaking to the SABC, Fick said people should avoid reading too much into Xi’s absence, as the Chinese leader also missed the previous G20 Summit hosted by India.

“I think we should be very careful about looking for signs and wonders where there aren’t any. This is not the first summit that President Xi has not attended. He also didn’t go to the one in India, and he sent his premier to that one as well.

“We know that President Xi has limited his abroad travel and has gone on a diplomatic set of tours that involved leaders coming to him, including (President of the Russian Federation) Vladimir Putin who went to China.

“My sense is that this has to do with China’s internal issues and the Chinese government actually released a very strongly-worded statement stating that they support South Africa’s presidency of the G20 and will send the highest delegation that is not the head of state to this. I don’t think this is a sign that China is re-aligning away from BRICS or away from its South African partner in BRICS, or away from its Global South priorities," said Fick.

In a report by Xinhua, published on the State Council Information Office of China website on Thursday, November 13, 2025, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that Premier Li will attend the G20 meeting at the invitation of the South African government.

According to the report, Li will also travel to Moscow for the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on November 17 and 18, before making an official visit to Zambia on November 19 and 20.

At a regular press briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the upcoming visits will focus on strengthening regional cooperation, implementing the outcomes of the SCO Tianjin Summit, and deepening economic and cultural ties.

When asked about China’s expectations for the G20 Summit, Lin said the meeting carries “historic significance” as it is being held on the African continent for the first time. He added that China “supports South Africa’s G20 presidency” and is ready to work with all parties under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability” to build consensus on multilateralism, open trade, and global development.

Beijing’s confirmation ends speculation over whether President Xi Jinping would travel to South Africa for the summit. His absence follows a pattern seen at several recent international meetings, where Premier Li Qiang has represented China on his behalf.

The G20 Summit, scheduled for November 21 to 23 in Johannesburg, will bring together leaders from the world’s major economies to discuss global economic recovery, sustainable development, and reforms to international financial governance.

However, political analysts have pointed out that China’s decision for Xi not to attend should not be interpreted as a boycott. Unlike the United States and Argentina, whose leaders are skipping the meeting for political reasons, Beijing has made clear that it supports South Africa’s G20 presidency and intends to engage fully in the summit’s proceedings through Premier Li.

China’s participation through Premier Li Qiang underscores its continued commitment to multilateral forums and cooperation with Africa, even as the global political landscape around the G20 becomes increasingly fractured.

Earlier this week, IOL reported that Argentina’s President Javier Milei would not be attending the G20 leaders’ summit scheduled for Johannesburg, aligning with a boycott of the key meeting backed by United States President Donald Trump.

According to reports in Argentine media, Milei will instead send Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno to represent the country, along with G20 negotiator Federico Pinedo.

The decision marks a show of solidarity with Trump, who announced that the United States would not participate in the G20 Summit in South Africa, citing alleged human rights abuses against Afrikaner farmers in the country.

Milei’s decision is viewed as a diplomatic setback for South Africa, which is hosting the G20 for the first time — and the first time the summit is being held on African soil.

Argentina is one of three Latin American members of the G20, alongside Brazil and Mexico, and has historically taken part in the forum’s highest-level meetings. Analysts in Buenos Aires say the president’s choice underscores his administration’s close alignment with the United States and a shift away from traditional multilateral engagement.

jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za

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