South Africa is confident that it could become the newest member of BRIC, a powerful economic coalition of the four fastest-growing developing countries in the world – Brazil, Russia, India and China.

This is according to International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, who was briefing the media in Pretoria on Thursday following last week's state visit to China, which formed part of government's worldwide tour to expand ties with fast-growing emerging economies.

"We think we have done our best to and we think we have made a positive impression on all the BRIC members," Nkoana-Mashabane said, adding that now all they could do was wait for a decision to be made.

The BRIC nations work to boost trade among themselves, and South Africa is looking to expanded trade with the world to help it meet its development needs, especially by improving infrastructure and livelihoods in the country.

Nkoana-Mashabane said President Jacob Zuma's state visit to China was a success.

Zuma visited China with 13 cabinet ministers and a 370-strong business delegation to strengthen ties between South Africa and what has become the world's second-largest economy.

Several new deals were struck during the visit, including a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement as well as eight memoranda of understanding on co-operation focusing on infrastructure construction projects such as roads, railways, ports, power generation, airports and housing.

The business delegation also signed more than a dozen agreements involving investments in railways, power transmission, construction, mining, insurance, telecoms and nuclear power.

Nkoana-Mashabane said the comprehensive strategic partnership declaration would guide South Africa's overall interaction with China over the next 10 to 15 years.

A key element of the partnership agreement was growth and development, focusing on beneficiation and the adding of value to resources, infrastructure, market access and trade in the southern African region and on the continent.

Both governments would work closely "to map out action plans in various areas, so as to implement the consensus reached by the state leaders".

Source: BuaNews