By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
South Africa’s Minister of
Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Blade Nzimande, has begun an official
visit to the People’s Republic of China with engagements focused on
strengthening science, technology and innovation cooperation between the two countries.
The visit, which commenced
on Tuesday, 15 July, started with a meeting between Minister Nzimande and the
Science and Technology Commission of the Shanghai Municipality, followed by
visits to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum and the Shanghai Astronomy
Museum.
Minister Nzimande and the
South African delegation were welcomed by the leadership of the Science and
Technology Commission of Shanghai, which presented an overview of its science,
technology and innovation initiatives, including the development of high-tech
parks and support for technology entrepreneurs.
During the discussions, the
Minister outlined South Africa’s key science, technology and innovation
priorities and highlighted existing areas of cooperation with China.
Prof. Nzimande expressed
South Africa’s interest in deepening collaboration with Chinese science policy
and research institutions to strengthen the country’s innovation ecosystem at
provincial, district and local levels.
He also called for greater
support for South Africa’s plans to establish science and technology parks
within Special Economic Zones (SEZs) as part of efforts to promote
innovation-driven economic development.
The engagement forms part of
South Africa’s broader efforts to leverage international partnerships to
advance research, technology development and entrepreneurship while building
stronger innovation capacity across the country.
The Minister’s visit is
expected to further explore opportunities for cooperation in science,
technology and innovation, with a focus on translating research and innovation
into economic and social benefits.
