S. Africa president arrives in Sanya for BRICS summit

South African President Jacob Zuma arrives Wednesday morning at an airport in Sanya, South China's Hainan Province to attend the BRICS Leaders Meeting scheduled on Thursday. [Photo/Xinhua]

SANYA, Hainan - South African President Jacob Zuma arrived Wednesday morning in Sanya City of south China's Hainan Province to attend the BRICS Leaders Meeting scheduled on Thursday.

It will be the first time for South Africa to attend the summit of the BRICS, which also groups Brazil, Russia, India and China.

Chinese President Hu Jintao will meet with Zuma on the sidelines of the summit to exchange views on bilateral ties and issues of common concern.

China is now South Africa's largest trade partner. Bilateral trade of the two countries jumped about 60 percent year on year to $25.65 billion in 2010.

President Zuma said earlier in an interview that the grouping of the BRICS will offer huge opportunities for South Africa's trade and economic development.

"We are greatly honored by the invitation to join the Brazil, Russia, India and China grouping. The invitation indicates the high regard with which our country is viewed internationally," Zuma told Xinhua.

South Africa was invited to join the cooperative mechanism in late 2010.

Zuma declared 2011 a year of job creation through meaningful economic transformation and inclusive growth in his 2011 State of the Nation Address in February.

South African government's New Growth Path aims to create 5 million jobs by 2020 and bring the unemployment rate down to 15 percent.

Zuma said BRICS membership would help South Africa realize the goal.

"The groupings offer a big lucrative market for South Africa's goods and services and lots of opportunities to implement our Industrial Policy Action Plan and the New Growth Path framework. We will actively promote trade and investment which will enhance industrialization and promote job creation," he said.

The BRICS countries accounted for 18 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010. Some 42 percent of the world's population live in the five emerging economies.

During the summit, the BRICS leaders will discuss international situation, global economic and financial issues, development affairs and cooperation among BRICS countries.

The leaders are expected to release a joint document after the meeting.