South Africa plans to send about 100 students to China next year to study scarce skills, as part of growing cooperation between the two countries, Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane has announced.
The initiative follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent state visit to China, where he attended the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing.
Minister Nkabane, who was part of the presidential delegation, said the student exchange program aligns with South Africa’s goals for technological advancement and addressing skills shortages.
“We will be sending about 100 students to China in the coming year to study scarce and critical skills of the future as we advance in skills revolution towards addressing skills mismatch that the country is currently facing,” she told journalists in Pretoria.
The announcement comes amid a broader package of support from China to African nations. Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $50.7 billion (about R904 billion) in various forms of financial support for Africa during the FOCAC summit.
Xi outlined a 10-point partnership plan for modernisation, which includes providing 60,000 training opportunities to Africa, mainly for women and youth in vocational education.
The cooperation extends beyond education. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu recently attended the Global Public Security Cooperation Forum in China, where he met with his Chinese counterpart. Mchunu indicated that some of the Chinese funding would be directed towards South Africa’s fight against crime and corruption.
“The key takeaway from the forum is that crime is a global issue that transcends borders, and no country, regardless of its crime rate, can tackle it alone,” Mchunu said.
These developments signify a deepening relationship between South Africa and China, spanning education, security, and economic cooperation. However, some analysts caution that African nations should ensure such partnerships align with their own development goals and maintain their sovereignty.
As Africa’s most industrialized economy, South Africa’s growing ties with China are likely to be closely watched by other nations on the continent and beyond.
