By Zweli Martin Dlamini

PRETORIA:The cooperation signed between China and South Africa has resulted to an exchange of young scientists from both countries and the ongoing implementation of innovative projects.

China and South Africa inked an agreement on intergovernmental cooperation on science and technology in 1999 and subsequently established a mechanism of joint committee cooperation.

As a result,eight(8) meetings of the China-South Africa Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation(Science and Technology sub-committee of the China-South Africa Bi-National Commission(BNC)have been successfully facilitated.

It has been reported that,the 8th meeting was held online on December 18,2023 and under the framework of the Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation,China and South Africa have carried out practical cooperation such as the exchange of the young scientists.

But apart from the exchange of scientists the cooperation between the two countries on science and technology has achieved other significant projects including but not limited to joint research projects(JRP),joint research centres(JRC),science parks as well as innovation and entrepreneurship.

Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of China together with Department of Science and Innovation(DSI)of South Africa support no more than 1 flagship project and no more than 15 general projects every year. 

Since 1999,both governments have funded more than 140 JRPs.Some of the achievements  of these JPRs have been commercialized.China and South Africa has already built up the JRC for Mineral Resources Development and Utilization under the framework of “Belt and Road”. Now both sides want to expend the services to other African countries. African Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences have co-established the China-Africa Agriculture STI Alliance in 2023. The alliance welcomes more African agriculture institutes and Universities to join in.

Last year China upgraded grand station in South Africa of the China–Brazil Earth Resources Satellite program (CBERS).Now it can receive 2-meter resolution date from CBERS and serve for South Africa and other SADC countries.In future China Beidou Navigation Satellite System may also be introduced into South Africa and may promote to develop digital economy in South Africa such as smart agriculture,smart transportation,smart city, etc.  

Since the end of COVID-19 pandemic in 2023,science and technology cooperation and exchanges between China and South Africa have heated up and increased rapidly.As a result,in February 2023 during the third meeting of the China-South Africa High-level People-To-People Exchange Mechanism, MOST and DSI signed the Letter of Intent on the China-South Africa Science and Technology People-to-People Exchange Program, and further resumed the exchange of young scientists from the two countries that had been interrupted due to the pandemic.

In August 2023, Minister Wang Zhigang from the Chinese Ministry Of Science and Technology(MOST)visited South Africa to attend the 11th BRICS Ministerial Meeting on Science, Technology and Innovation, and signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Poverty Alleviation through Science and Technology with the South African Department of Science and Technology(DSI).

The Memorandum of Understanding seeks to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the field of poverty alleviation through science and technology, MOST and DSI are currently working on the action plan of this MOU.