Innovating Together and Shaping the Shared Future - IOL

China will continue to work hand in hand with South Africa to harness the power of science, technology and innovation for common development, contribute to the modernisation process of China and Africa, and bring a steady stream of innovative strength to the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, writes Chinese Consul General in Cape Town Ren Faqiang.

2026 marks the 28th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa. The bilateral relationship has been elevated to an All-Round Strategic Cooperative Partnership in the New Era, while cooperation in science, technology and innovation has continued to advance steadily and produce fruitful results. The three provinces served by the Consulate General of China in Cape Town — Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape — provide vivid examples of this deepening cooperation.

This month, the 19th Pujiang Innovation Forum in Shanghai proudly welcomed South Africa as its first African Country of Honour. Meanwhile, the 18th World Congress on Public Health, successfully held in Cape Town, brought China and South Africa together to focus on global public health governance. These two major international platforms complemented each other, showcasing a new chapter in China–South Africa cooperation in science, technology and innovation, while setting a positive example for South–South cooperation in science and technology.

China–South Africa cooperation in science, technology and innovation has consistently benefited from the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries.

In July 2018, the China–South Africa High-Level Dialogue of Scientists was held in Pretoria. President Xi Jinping of China and President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa jointly visited an exhibition showcasing achievements in China–South Africa cooperation in science, technology and innovation. President Xi noted that breakthroughs achieved by Chinese and South African scientists in the field of science and technology had attracted global attention, and that the scope of cooperation continued to expand.

In March 2026, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng and South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile co-chaired the ninth plenary session of the China–South Africa Bi-National Commission in Cape Town, injecting new strategic impetus into cooperation in science, technology and innovation.

In June, the Embassy of China in South Africa and South Africa’s Department of Science, Technology and Innovation jointly hosted the China–South Africa Young Scientist Symposium in Pretoria. Chinese Ambassador to South Africa Wu Peng, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of South Africa Prof. Blade Nzimande, and president and chairperson of the Academy of Science of South Africa Prof. Thokozani Majozi, among others, attended the event.

On July 16, the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation was officially launched in Shanghai, China, with Minister Nzimande travelling to China to attend the launch ceremony.

The strategic consensus between the two countries is being translated into an increasingly rich range of practical outcomes. Scientific and technological communities as well as industries in both countries continue to uphold the traditional friendship between China and South Africa, working together to chart a path towards mutually beneficial development in science, technology and innovation.

Diplomatic relations between China and South Africa were established in 1998, and the two countries signed their Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation in 1999, making science and technology innovation an important foundation of their long-term friendly cooperation.

Over nearly three decades, the scope of cooperation has continued to expand — from joint research to talent development, and from frontier technologies to the translation of research outcomes into practical applications.

According to information released by South Africa’s Department of Science, Technology and Innovation in March this year, more than 150 joint R&D projects have been implemented since the signing of the 1999 Science and Technology Agreement.

These projects cover a range of priority areas, including healthcare, space science and astronomy, energy, traditional medicine, mineral development and agricultural science. Joint research, personnel exchanges and capacity building are all advancing in greater depth, continuously translating strategic consensus into tangible outcomes.

Exchanges between young scientists, joint research centres and science park initiatives have continued to develop, while emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, space science and cybersecurity have also been incorporated into the cooperation agenda.

The three provinces within the district of the Consulate General of China in Cape Town are becoming increasingly integrated into the broader framework of China–South Africa cooperation.

The 19th Pujiang Innovation Forum has been held in Shanghai from September 11 to 14 this year successfully.

For the first time, South Africa will serve as the Guest Country of Honour, becoming the first African country to assume this role. Minister Nzimande lead a delegation to the forum, with representatives from the South African government, research institutions, universities and enterprises showcasing achievements in agriculture, traditional medicine, smart technologies, smart energy, hydrogen energy and space science.

This has once again highlighted Africa’s growing and deeper engagement with global scientific and technological cooperation.

China–South Africa cooperation also carries broader multilateral significance. Within platforms such as BRICS and the G20, the two countries continue to expand opportunities for cooperation in emerging technologies.

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope project, including the Mid-Frequency Aperture Array hosted in the town of Carnarvon in the Northern Cape, is a vivid example of China and South Africa jointly participating in and contributing to a major international scientific project.

The Pujiang Innovation Forum and the World Congress on Public Health serve as two important platforms highlighting the broad potential for cooperation between China and South Africa in global science and technology governance.

Standing at the new starting point of the 28th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa, China stands ready to work with South Africa to deepen strategic alignment, consolidate traditional areas of cooperation, expand emerging fields such as digital intelligence, green and low-carbon development, and life and health, and strengthen exchanges of talent and joint scientific research.

From the 1999 Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation to more than 150 joint R&D projects today; from exchanges among young scientists to frontier fields such as artificial intelligence and quantum technology, China–South Africa cooperation in science, technology and innovation has established a solid foundation and enjoys broad prospects for the future.

The Consulate General of China in Cape Town will continue to play its role as a bridge and link, promoting deeper and more substantive cooperation between the three provinces within its consular district and China in science, technology and innovation.

Innovation knows no borders, and cooperation connects our future.

China will continue to work hand in hand with South Africa to harness the power of science, technology and innovation for common development, contribute to the modernisation process of China and Africa, and bring a steady stream of innovative strength to the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

* Ren Faqiang is the Chinese Consul General in Cape Town.

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL.