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. –