South Africa seeks to postpone military exercise with China and Russia due to G20 summit
Chinese Navy officers wave during a previous joint military exercise held in Cape Town in November 2019.
Image: Courtney Africa/Independent Media
The Department of Defence has confirmed that South Africa is in talks with the People's Republic of China to postpone a planned trilateral naval exercise with Russia and China, originally scheduled for next month.
The exercise, which would have been the third iteration of the drills between the BRICS partners, is scheduled to be hosted in South African waters, with the People’s Republic of China being the lead nation.
The naval exercise, which would bring the massive Chinese and Russian military vessels to South African waters, was scheduled to happen around the same period when South Africa hosts the Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg.
In July, IOL reported that US President Donald Trump, who is invited to attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg, has indicated that he will probably not attend the summit in South Africa, citing “very bad policies” as the reason. At the time, Trump said he would send someone else because of the “problems” he has with South Africa.
“I think maybe I’ll send somebody else because I’ve had a lot of problems with South Africa. They have some very bad policies,” he said.
“They have some very bad policies… A lot of people are being killed. I’d like to, but I don’t think I will.”
This week, spokesperson for South Africa's Department of Defence, Siphiwe Dlamini, said consultations were under way with the Presidency and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) to ensure the military exercise is rescheduled to a mutually suitable date.
"This is to ensure that the exercises do not impact on the logistical, security and other arrangements associated with South Africa’s G20 Presidency. South Africa’s participation in military exercises of this nature with various countries is part of the furtherance of sound multilateral and bilateral relations. As it has in the past, South Africa continues to hold joint military exercises with a broad range of countries," said Dlamini.
In the last few years, the SANDF has conducted joint and multinational military exercises with countries including Brazil, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States.
In November, South Africa will chair the G20, a first for the continent, and is expected to host several high-level summits, including the Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg.
The Department emphasised that joint exercises of this nature are routine and form part of South Africa’s broader defence diplomacy.
“South Africa’s participation in military exercises of this nature with various countries is part of the furtherance of sound multilateral and bilateral relations. As it has in the past, South Africa continues to hold joint military exercises with a broad range of countries. In the last few years, the SANDF has conducted joint and multinational military exercises with countries such as Brazil, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States,” said Dlamini.
The trilateral exercises with Russia and China, first held in 2019 and repeated in 2023, have previously drawn scrutiny from Western nations, particularly in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
No new date has yet been confirmed for the postponed exercise.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
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