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.