The proposed facility aims to close South Africa\u2019s digital skills gap and strengthen collaboration with Chinese institutions<\/p>\n
South Africa and China are planning an Artificial Intelligence Talent Development and Innovation Center in South Africa, as the two countries expand their cooperation in science, technology, and innovation.
\nNomalungelo Gina, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, highlighted the plan during a working visit to China for the 2026 China-Africa Innovation Cooperation and Development Forum in Wuhan. The forum runs from November 10 to 13. During her visit, she held talks with China\u2019s Vice Minister of Science and Technology Zhang Guangjun.
\nThe proposed center is to help South Africa address its digital skills gap, build innovation capacity and expand collaboration with Chinese institutions. Preparatory work is already underway, and a Chinese technical expert team is expected to visit South Africa for a preliminary assessment of the project.
\n\u201cThe center will strengthen innovation capabilities and deepen the bilateral cooperation between our countries in the field of artificial intelligence,\u201d Gina said.<\/p>\n
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Vice Minister Zhang said relations between the two countries have grown steadily under Presidents Cyril Ramaphosa and Xi Jinping, with cooperation deepening across many fields.
\n\u201cPresident Xi has stressed that under this new partnership, both sides should pursue mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as the digital economy, AI and new energy,\u201d he said.
\nThe meeting built on the September 2024 elevation of relations to an all-round strategic cooperative partnership in the new era. That partnership named the digital economy, artificial intelligence, and new energy as strategic areas of mutual benefit.
\nSouth Africa identified advanced manufacturing, AI, biotechnology and fifth-generation mobile technology (5G) as areas for engagement. Both stressed the need for stronger links between universities, research institutions and industry, to speed up the translation of research into economic and social applications.
\nGina further hailed China\u2019s contribution in strengthening South Africa\u2019s capabilities, attributing the relationship to a 1999 Science and Technology Agreement, under which more than 240 joint research and development projects have been carried out.<\/p>\n
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Looking ahead, Gina called for deeper cooperation in space technology applications, stronger data and knowledge sharing, and more opportunities for African scientists and young researchers.
\nAfrican countries, she said, should be able to develop and apply technologies in line with their own priorities.\u00a0\u201cOur partnership should go beyond technology transfer to promote joint innovation, mutual learning, and sustainable local capabilities,\u201d she noted.
\nGina closed by saying cooperation should be judged by its human impact.\u00a0\u201cUltimately, we should measure the success of our cooperation not only by the technologies we develop, but also by the lives we improve,\u201d she said.
\nFirst published by IOL<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The proposed facility aims to close South Africa\u2019s digital skills gap and strengthen collaboration with Chinese institutions South Africa and China are planning an Artificial Intelligence Talent Development and Innovation…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41086,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-environment","category-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t