A Delegation Led by DHET Minister Visits BPC Shortly Before the FOCAC Beijing Summit

On September 1, a delegation led by Nobuhle Pamela Nkabane, Minister of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) of the Republic of South Africa, and Stella Ndabeni Abrahams, South African Minister of Small Business Development paid a friendly visit to Beijing Polytechnic College (BPC). The delegation also included Morolelo Madihlaba, Assistant to the Ambassador of the Embassy of the Republic of South Africa to China, and Chinese Secretary Zhao Xiaoqing. Liu Chang'an, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee and President of BPC, and Zhou Yan, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Committee and Vice President of the college, met with the delegation in Conference Room 4 of Jiangxin Building. Also in attendance were Zhang Chunzhi, Dean of the School of the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Zhang Lili, Dean of the School of Architecture and Surveying Engineering, Zhu Yuanzhong, Dean of the School of Information Engineering, Meng Qing, Director of the International Exchanges and Cooperation Office, and Xie Ligao, Deputy Director of the Office. The meeting was presided over by Vice President Zhou Yan.

(Scene of the meeting)

(Welcome speech by Liu Chang'an, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee and President of BPC)

(Address by Ms. Nobuhle Pamela Nkabane, Minister of the DHET)

(Vice President Zhou Yan presides over the meeting)

On behalf of BPC, President Liu Chang'an warmly welcomed Ms. Nkabane and Ms. Abrahams, along with their panel, and provided a brief overview of BPC's international education development. President Liu emphasized that South Africa is the first African nation to sign a memorandum of understanding for cooperation with China under the Belt and Road Initiative. The comprehensive partnership between China and South Africa serves as a successful model for aligning the Belt and Road Initiative with Africa's development and for promoting South-South cooperation. The visit by the South African delegation holds significant importance as it precedes the upcoming Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Mr. Liu expressed his desire to strengthen cooperation and exchanges with high-level universities and vocational colleges in South Africa in the areas of vocational and international Chinese education. He hoped to collaborate with South African counterparts to learn from one another and foster mutual development, writing a new chapter of friendship and progress together.

Ms. Nkabane expressed her gratitude for the warm reception from BPC and her willingness to collaborate with the college in vocational education. She mentioned that in August 2023, in the presence of the heads of state, China and South Africa signed the Letter of Intent between China and South Africa on Co-building the Belt and Road Initiative. This significant cooperation agreement not only demonstrates the two nations' determination to strengthen bilateral relations, but also provides a clear framework for the international cooperation of the DHET and the Ministry of Small Business Development of South Africa. Ms. Nkabane sincerely hoped to use this opportunity to foster in-depth collaborations between South African vocational colleges and BPC, establish a long-term, friendly partnership, and learn from China's experience and accomplishments in vocational education. Ms. Abrahams also expressed hope that outstanding enterprises in South Africa could strengthen exchanges and collaborations with Chinese vocational colleges, and advance the integrated development of industry and education, thereby contributing to China-Africa cooperation in areas such as education, economy, and trade, the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future.

The two parties conveyed their shared vision and ardent expectations for further practical cooperation and exchanges in education, hoping to infuse new momentum and vitality into the development of education in both countries. Accompanied by Vice President Zhou Yan, Ms. Nkabane, Ms. Abrahams, and other guests toured the Sino-French Application-oriented Talent Training and Research Center for Energy Efficiency Management, Automobile Training Base, Intelligent Connected Training Room, Digital Design and Manufacturing Center, Intelligent Robot Technology Application Center, iFLYTEK AI Workshop, 360 Urban Safety Industry School, and other sites in succession. The guests highly praised and fully affirmed BPC's theory-practice integration teaching mode and high-quality training conditions.

(The delegation visits the training rooms of BPC)

(Group photo of participants)

Buti Manamela, Deputy Minister of the DHET, has visited BPC twice. In 2023, Panyaza Lesufi, Premier of Gauteng in South Africa, led a delegation to the college. This time marks the fourth exchange visit from a South African delegation, underscoring the pressing desire and practical necessity for collaborations and exchanges in vocational education between the two sides.

On September 2, President Xi Jinping held talks with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The two heads of state announced the elevation of China-South Africa relations to an all-round strategic cooperative partnership. Moving forward, we will enhance exchanges and cooperation in human resources development between China and South Africa. We plan to accelerate the implementation of vocational education demonstration school and vocational training center projects, and provide more scholarships, as well as study and training opportunities, for young people from South Africa in China. Additionally, we will further expand our exchanges and cooperation with South Africa in vocational education, thereby deepening the friendship between China and Africa. This effort will closely align with the positive vision of the Chinese and South African governments for exchanges and cooperation in vocational education.