South Africa not to hand over G20 presidency to US diplomat

President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa will not hand over the next presidency of the Group of 20 to an embassy representative of the United States at the G20 Leaders' Summit in Johannesburg, said Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola Saturday.

The summit opened on Saturday without a U.S. presence, although it will succeed South Africa in the G20 presidency, which normally requires a handover ceremony. The United States sent the chargé d'affaires of its U.S. Embassy in South Africa for the handover.

Lamola explained that the handover ceremony at the summit must happen at the head of state level, or at least a minister who is properly designated by the president of the United States of America.

South Africa has always maintained an open and friendly attitude and is willing to continue its cooperation with the United States, he said.

Therefore, in the absence of senior U.S. officials at the summit, Lamola said the handover will be arranged at the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation after the summit, or at another suitable location in South Africa upon request from the United States.

The White House on Saturday said South Africa was refusing to facilitate a smooth transition of its G20 presidency to the U.S.

Tensions between the U.S. and South Africa flared up after the South African government filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice in December 2023 against Israel for alleged "genocide" against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which the U.S. regarded as offending it.

The United States first cut off aid to South Africa, citing its land policies as "discriminating" against white South Africans -- claims the South African government has repeatedly rejected as unfounded, and then expelled South African Ambassador to the U.S. Ebrahim Rasool in March.

Starting from August 7 this year, the U.S. government imposed a 30-percent tariff on South African goods, the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, the U.S. government suspended funding for South Africa's AIDS prevention and control programs.

The South African government acknowledged that its relations with the United States have plunged to their lowest level.

South Africa not to hand over G20 presidency to US diplomat

South Africa not to hand over G20 presidency to US diplomat

South Africa not to hand over G20 presidency to US diplomat

China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao outlined the key priorities of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, which opened on Friday in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province.

In an interview with CGTN ahead of the two-day meeting, Wang said free trade, digital cooperation and green economy are high on the agenda of the meeting.

"The key areas include advancing regional economic integration and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, supporting the World Trade Organization (WTO) in strengthening digital cooperation and developing green economy. At present, the international situation is marked by intertwined turbulence and chaos, with intensified geopolitical instability. The rise of unilateralism and protectionism poses serious challenges to the international economic and trade order, disrupting global and Asia-Pacific development. Against this backdrop, all parties have higher expectations for this trade ministers' meeting, hoping that it can build consensus and deliver outcomes," Wang said.

This year marks China's third time hosting the APEC meetings and the 35th anniversary of its membership.

By 2025, China had become the largest trading partner of 13 APEC economies. Trade between China and APEC economies reached 3.7 trillion U.S. dollars, accounting for 57.8 percent of China's total foreign trade.

China has signed 24 free trade agreements or economic and trade arrangements with 31 countries and regions, including 15 APEC economies. In recent years, China has also completed upgrades of free trade agreements with APEC economies such as Singapore and Peru.

The minister said that China has always been a firm supporter and an important contributor to APEC.

"We have actively shared our vast market and development opportunities with all parties. China's door to the world will only open wider and wider. Facing the common challenges, China will continue to fulfill its responsibilities as a major country, further deepen reform, expand high-standard opening-up, and continue to provide new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific region and the world with its new achievements in Chinese modernization," the minister said.

China's Commerce Minister outlines priorities for 32nd APEC trade ministers' meeting