据中国官方媒体上周五报道，中国已邀请南非加入由快速增长的新兴市场国家组成的“金砖四国”(Bric)集团，或至少是参与该集团的一次会议。
一段时间以来，南非一直发出较为直白的暗示，它渴望加入“金砖四国”集团。南非总统雅各布•祖马(Jacob Zuma)今年8月访问北京期间就作出了上述表示。如今，祖马的愿望已在一定程度上得到了满足——中方承诺，将邀请祖马出席中国明年举办的“金砖四国”峰会。
正如中国日报(China Daily)所报道的：
“中国外交部部长杨洁篪上周四表示，‘金砖四国’已接纳南非作为该组织的正式成员。目前该组织包括巴西、俄罗斯、印度和中国……杨洁篪在与南非外长迈特•恩科阿纳马沙巴内(Maite Nkoana-Mashabane)通电话时表示，中国胡锦涛主席将将给南非总统雅各布•祖马(Jacob Zuma)发出一封邀请函，邀请他出席明年在北京举行的第三次‘金砖四国’峰会。”
对南非来说，这次峰会最终可能只是一次“试镜”，如果它因此而自鸣得意恐怕为时尚早。但不管怎样，能够得到这样一次机会都是一件特有面子的事情——尤其是考虑到，南非是众多渴望加入“金砖四国”的国家中首个入选的国家，特别是还走在了其非洲强劲对手尼日利亚的前面。其它渴望加入该集团的国家包括印尼、越南、韩国、土耳其和墨西哥。
不过，加入“金砖四国”集团这件事本身的物质意义并不大。目前，甚至并没有多少投资基金专门聚焦于该集团。这件事真正的意义在于改变外界对南非的认识。祖马大概希望，“金砖四国”会带给南非一些喜气儿，吸引更多证券投资资金和企业高管来到南非。
目前尚不清楚，中国在向南非发出邀请前是征询过“金砖四国”集团其它成员国的意见，还是仅凭一己之力邀请一个新国家加入该俱乐部。
但中国日报报道：
“杨洁篪表示，作为‘金砖四国’目前的轮值主席国，中国相信，南非的加入将推动‘金砖四国’的发展，促进新兴市场国家之间的合作。”
中国之所以选择南非，还出于一个显而易见的理由——中国对外界指责它掠夺非洲资源极其敏感。这也是它上周为促进中国在非洲正面形象的数家公司颁奖的原因。让南非加入“金砖四国”将向外界发出一个有用的信息，表明中国平等地看待和对待非洲国家。
译者/何黎
http://www.ftchinese.com/story/001036217
China has invited South Africa to join the Bric group of fast-growing emerging markets – or at least to join one of their meetings – according to reports in Chinese state media on Friday. South Africa has been dropping not-so-subtle hints about its desire to be part of the group for a while – Jacob Zuma, the country’s president (pictured), said as much on a trip to Beijing in August. Now Zuma’s wish has been partially granted with the promise that he will be invited to attend a Bric summit that China will host next year. As China Daily reports:
'Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi Thursday said Bric has accepted South Africa as a full member of the group, which currently includes Brazil, Russia, India and China … Yang, during a phone conversation with his South African counterpart Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, said Chinese President Hu Jintao would issue an invitation letter to South African President Jacob Zuma, inviting him to attend the third Bric leaders’ meeting to be held in Beijing next year.'
The summit could turn out to be an audition for South Africa, in which case it’d be too early to crow. But anyway, being given a chance is all very flattering. Especially because South Africa has been picked out ahead of a gaggle of other countries that’d love to be Brics, not least its great African rival Nigeria. Others include Indonesia, Vietnam, South Korea, Turkey and Mexico.
But in and of itself being in the Bric group doesn’t mean much materially. There aren’t even many investment funds focused specifically on the group. What really matters are perceptions. And Zuma will be hoping that some of the excitement about the Brics will rub off on it, attracting new capital from portfolio investors and corporate executives to South Africa.
It’s not clear whether China consulted other members of the elite group before issuing the invitation, or whether it’s in China’s power alone to invite a new country into the club.
But China Daily reports:
'Yang said that China, as the current rotating chair of Bric, believes South Africa’s accession will promote the development of Bric and enhance the cooperation of emerging market economies.'
There’s one obvious reason for China to choose South Africa. Beijing is highly sensitive to accusations that it is plundering African resources. That’s why it held an awards ceremony this week for companies that have promoted a positive image of China in Africa. Making South Africa a Bric would send a useful message that China views African countries as equals and treats them as such.
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