China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, is scheduled to embark on a diplomatic tour to South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Turkey, as announced by Beijing’s foreign ministry on Wednesday.

The trip will include attending the 13th BRICS high representatives’ meeting on security affairs in Johannesburg from July 24 to 25, followed by visits to the aforementioned countries before and after the meeting. As the current chair of BRICS, South Africa plays a key role in this alliance of influential nations, which aims to challenge the dominance of US and European-led global governance structures. Notably, a summit of the bloc’s leaders is planned for the following month.

Wang Yi’s visit to Africa reflects China’s commitment to strengthen its presence on the continent, furthering its engagement with African nations. The significance of this visit was emphasized by the incumbent Foreign Minister Qin Gang’s previous tour to Africa, where he called for collaboration among countries to create a more just and equitable global governance system, positioning Africa as a platform for international cooperation, rather than a battleground for major countries’ competition.