Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa ahead of the BRICS Summit at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 22, 2023. (Yandisa Monakali/DIRCO/Handout via REUTERS)

South Africa hosted China's Xi Jinping, the leading proponent of enlarging BRICS, for a state visit on Tuesday morning ahead of meetings with the grouping's other leaders later in the day. President Cyril Ramaphosa said that the two countries had "similar views" regarding expansion.

Over 40 countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, say South African officials. Beyond the enlargement question, boosting the use of member states' local currencies is also on the summit agenda.

South African organisers, however, say there will be no discussions of a BRICS currency, an idea floated by Brazil earlier this year as an alternative to dollar-dependence.