Shanghai, China - South Africa hopes to secure new partnerships and take its scientific capabilities to higher levels through its participation in the 19th Pujiang Innovation Forum in Shanghai, China.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Professor Blade Nzimande expressed this optimism, while addressing a South African media contingent upon his arrival in China on Friday evening, local time.
The Minister said the country will use the international platform to showcase its progress in vaccine development, nuclear medicine, hydrogen technology and climate-change research.
“It is very significant because this is one of the major innovation forums in the world. It also takes place as we celebrate 28 years of our diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China,” he said.
South Africa is participating as Country of Honour at the forum – the first African country to receive the designation.
“What we hope to get from here, firstly, is that we have been given enormous space to showcase our innovations as South Africa, and that is very important. Possibly, some positive things are going to come out of that,” Nzimande said.
He said South African speakers would present the country’s progress across a wide range of scientific fields.
“Given the number of speakers who will be talking about a whole range of things – from health innovation to climate change and the progress that we have been making as a country – this, in fact, serves to cement our relations with the People’s Republic of China, something that is very important for us,” he said.
Nzimande said China’s position as a leading centre of innovation and the two countries’ membership of BRICS provided important opportunities for cooperation.
“China is possibly the leading country in terms of innovation. The fact that we are also part of the BRICS family is very important because we will use those platforms to advance our relationship,” he said.
The forum would also allow the South African delegation to engage with representatives from other participating countries.
“We are very pleased to be here because there are a lot of countries that are also here. It is not only us that will have a chance to interact. This has the potential to take our science to higher levels as South Africa,” Nzimande said.
The South African delegation includes scientists, innovators, researchers and business representatives. The Minister said their participation reflected the collaborative nature of modern innovation.
“Our scientists and businesspeople whom we invited are here because innovation these days is often a partnership between science councils, ourselves, universities and the private sector,” he said.
Nzimande identified vaccine development as one of the areas that South Africa would showcase.
“In terms of showcasing the work that we are doing, we have a lot of things that we are doing. For instance, the progress that we are making with our vaccines is very important.
“We are also going to be showcasing nuclear medicine. We have this facility at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital, which is the only facility of its kind, where we are using nuclear medicine to diagnose and treat cancer.
“Those are some of the things that we are going to be showcasing. We are also doing work in hydrogen,” the Minister said.
The forum runs from 11 – 14 September and includes exhibitions, discussions and bilateral engagements involving governments, universities, science councils and the private sector. – SAnews.gov.za
