Security representatives taking part in the 8th Meeting of the BRICS High Representatives for Security Issues take a group photo in Duran on Friday, June 29, 2018. [Photo: China Plus/Gao Junya]

　　Senior officials from BRICS countries are gathering in the South African city of Durban, pledging to strengthen cooperation within the group and reaffirming a commitment to multilateralism.

　　Senior CPC official Yang Jiechi is among the participants at the 8th Meeting of the BRICS High Representatives for Security Issues.

　　Yang Jiechi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, says BRICS has an obligation to create stability.

　　Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, addresses the opening session of the 8th Meeting of the BRICS High Representatives for Security Issues in Duran on Friday, June 29, 2018. [Photo: China Plus/Gao Junya]

　　"Unilateralism and protectionism are gaining momentum across the world. And multilateralism and the role of the United Nations have been compromised. The BRICS nations are constructive players in upholding world peace, promoting common development and enhancing global governance. We need to stick to multilateralism, maintain multilateral trading mechanism and support the United Nations. We need to strengthen our communication and coordination in important international and regional issues, sending out a common BRICS voice and contributing collective wisdom," says Yang.

　　Yang Jiechi is also calling on BRICS countries to continue championing the role of developing countries.

　　South Africa's State Security Minister, Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, is chairing the meeting.

　　She says doubts and questions about global order are something which will be discussed in Durban.

　　"South Africa continues to view BRICS as a key strategic partnership through which we can continue to pursue and realize a just, a safer, peaceful and more equitable world order. South Africa remains deeply committed to multilateral diplomacy in principle and in our demonstrative actions in particular, through our close cooperation in BRICS," says Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba.

　　The session in Durban this weekend comes ahead of the BRICS leaders’ summit to be held in Johannesburg in July.

　　During his time in South Africa, Yang Jiechi has also held bilateral talks with the delegations from the other four BRICS member countries.

　　BRICS is an acronym for the grouping of the world's leading emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.