Minister Nzimande begins official visit to China

Minister Nzimande begins official visit to China The Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande, is on an official visit to China, where he has met with the executives of two institutions, ahead of his participation in the Second Ministerial Belt and Road Science and Technology Conference.

The Minister began his official visit to the Asian country on Sunday, 8 June 2025.

On his arrival, the Minister first visited the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and then proceeded to the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

“At both institutions, the Minister was received by the heads of these institutions and was taken on a tour of their facilities. He also had an opportunity to deliver remarks during the formal engagements with executive leadership of both institutions,” the statement read.

In his remarks, Nzimande expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome extended to him and the South African delegation.
He also highlighted the intention of the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI) to strengthen collaboration with the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and the Aerospace Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, focusing on indigenous knowledge systems and space science, respectively.

The Minister will visit China to attend the Second Ministerial Belt and Road Science and Technology Conference in Chengdu, scheduled for 11 to 12 June 2025.

READ | SA to participate in Ministerial Belt and Road Science and Technology Conference

The conference will be held under the theme: “Together for Innovation, Development for All – Jointly Building a Scientific and Technological Innovation Community for the Belt and Road.”

The Minister believes that the Belt and Road Science and Technology Conference presents a unique opportunity for South Africa to strengthen cooperation with the Chinese in key technology areas such as artificial intelligence, future energy, transport systems and traditional medicine.

The conference will gather representatives from state-level agencies, scientific academies, and innovation enterprises from countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), including members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

The Minister’s delegation includes senior executives from various entities within the DSTI, as well as the National Research Foundation (NRF), the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), and the South African National Space Agency (SANSA).

A key part of the Minister’s visit to China will be a high-level meeting with his counterpart, Yin Hejun, who is the Chinese Minister of Science and Technology.

Nzimande said South Africa’s Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation seeks to emphasise the importance of the strategic relationship between South Africa and China in the fields of science, technology, and innovation.

He said the Ministry aims to showcase ongoing cooperation in areas that align with mutual development goals and to encourage young scientists, researchers, and entrepreneurs from South Africa to engage in global innovation networks. – SAnews.gov.za Gabisile Tue, 06/10/2025 - 09:13 344 views

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