Chengdu: Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Professor Blade Nzimande is set to lead South Africa’s delegation to the Second Ministerial Belt and Road Science and Technology Conference in China next week. The conference, scheduled to take place in Chengdu from 11-12 June 2025, aims to strengthen international cooperation in key technological areas such as artificial intelligence, future energy, transport systems, and traditional medicines.

According to South African Government News Agency, the Belt and Road Science and Technology Conference offers South Africa a chance to deepen its collaboration with the People’s Republic of China. The theme of the conference, ‘Together for Innovation, Development for All – Jointly Building a Scientific and Technological Innovation Community for the Belt and Road’, underscores the importance of shared development goals among participating nations, including ASEAN and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation members.

A significant component of Minister Nzimande’s visit will be a high-level meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Minister Yin Hejun. This meeting is set to review current science, technology, and innovation collaborations between the two nations and explore new areas for potential cooperation. The Minister’s itinerary also includes strategic meetings with prominent Chinese institutions and companies, such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the China Association for Science and Technology, the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, and Huawei.

The South African delegation comprises senior executives from various entities within the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation, including the National Research Foundation, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the Technology Innovation Agency, the Human Sciences Research Council, and the South African National Space Agency. Notably, Professor Motlalepula Matsabisa, an expert in indigenous knowledge systems from the University of the Free State, will also be part of this delegation.

Minister Nzimande emphasized the importance of the strategic relationship between South Africa and China in the fields of science, technology, and innovation. He highlighted the ministry’s goal to showcase ongoing cooperation in areas that align with mutual development objectives and to encourage young scientists, researchers, and entrepreneurs from South Africa to participate in global innovation networks.