JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping is in South Africa for a state visit ahead of a summit of leaders of the BRICS economies.

Xi was welcomed on Tuesday by South African president Cyril Ramaphosa at the government Union Buildings in Pretoria. Xi inspected a military honor guard before the two men began talks.

China is South Africa's biggest trading partner.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Rwanda and is also scheduled to visit Uganda before traveling to South Africa for the BRICS summit.

Member countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — begin a three-day summit in Johannesburg on Wednesday. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also expected to attend the meeting.