South Africa and China move to establish AI talent centre

South Africa and China are moving closer to establishing an Artificial Intelligence Talent Development and Innovation Centre in South Africa as the two countries expand cooperation in science, technology and innovation.

The proposed centre was discussed during a meeting between Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr Nomalungelo Gina and China’s Vice Minister of Science and Technology Zhang Guangjun in Wuhan on Wednesday.

The talks took place on the sidelines of the 2026 China-Africa Innovation Cooperation and Development Forum.

Gina said the proposed centre would help address South Africa’s digital skills shortage while strengthening the country’s capacity to develop and apply artificial intelligence technologies.

Preparatory work is already under way, with a Chinese technical team expected to travel to South Africa to conduct a preliminary technical assessment of the project.

“The centre will strengthen innovation capabilities and deepen the bilateral cooperation between our countries in the field of artificial intelligence,” Gina said.

The deputy minister said South Africa was ready to implement agreements reached through its science, technology and innovation cooperation with China.

“The China-Africa Innovation and Cooperation Development Forum remains important to South Africa, and we are ready, as the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, to implement the agreements we have entered into,” she said.

Zhang said relations between South Africa and China had continued to deepen under Presidents Cyril Ramaphosa and Xi Jinping, with cooperation expanding across several sectors.

He said China was seeking mutually beneficial cooperation with South Africa in areas including the digital economy, artificial intelligence and new energy.

The discussions build on the elevation of South Africa-China relations in September 2024 to an all-round strategic cooperative partnership in the new era, which identified AI, the digital economy and new energy as strategic areas for cooperation.

Beyond artificial intelligence, the two countries identified advanced manufacturing, biotechnology and fifth-generation mobile technology (5G) as further priority areas for engagement.

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) was also highlighted as an important foundation for scientific collaboration between the two countries.

Both sides emphasised the need to strengthen cooperation between universities, research institutions and industry to ensure scientific research is translated into practical economic and social applications.

Preparations for South Africa to host the Open Science International Conference in 2027 were also discussed. The conference is a joint initiative involving China, South Africa, Brazil and the African Union.

The two countries agreed to maintain engagement between their scientific and technical teams, develop specific projects, review existing agreements and formulate an action plan to ensure implementation.

The latest discussions signal a broader push to use science, technology and innovation to address skills shortages, strengthen research capacity and support economic development in both South Africa and China.