The Chinese Embassy in Pretoria hosted a send-off ceremony on Tuesday evening to celebrate South African students who received 2025 Chinese government scholarships, highlighting the importance of educational cooperation and cultural exchange.

The Chinese Ambassador to South Africa, Wu Peng, congratulated students on being awarded the scholarships sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM). 

A total of 11 South African students received the Chinese government scholarship, while eight students were awarded the Academic Education Programmes scholarship.

The students were admitted to top-tier Chinese universities, pursuing degree programmes in fields essential to South Africa’s national development, such as cybersecurity, engineering management, biological sciences, and healthcare.

Wu encouraged them to immerse themselves in China’s rich culture, witness its breathtaking landscapes, and experience the country’s modern civilisation, including high-speed rail, digital payments, smart cities, and cutting-edge technologies. 

“Your experience will prove that choosing to study in China is the right decision,” he said. 

He expressed appreciation to China’s partners, including the Department of Higher Education and Training and the Department of Basic Education.

“Educational cooperation is an integral part of the China-South Africa All-round Strategic Cooperative Partnership in the New Era,” Wu said. 

He said the Chinese government scholarship serves as a vital source of momentum for people-to-people exchanges, supporting South African youth in broadening their horizons, enhancing their capacities, and realising their dreams.

Thandazo Sithole, one of the scholarship recipients, expressed her excitement about starting her studies abroad. 

She said she had always dreamed of doing something special, particularly in innovation and technology, and saw this scholarship as an opportunity to pursue her aspirations.

Sithole described the scholarship as more than just an academic opportunity, but a chance for access, representation, and rewriting the narrative for African youth.

On behalf of her fellow recipients, she said: “We are not just going to China as students, we are going as ambassadors of our country. This is an opportunity to immerse ourselves in a new culture, learn cutting-edge skills, and gain new ideas that can help shape a better world.”

Sandisa Maqubela, deputy director at the Department of Higher Education and Training’s National Skills Fund, said the partnership between the department and the People’s Republic of China began in 2012 with an agreement to send 10 students to China and Sweden.

While she acknowledged the department’s value for its strategic partnership with China, she also noted that the current intake of students for 2025 is relatively small.

“As the National Skills Fund, we also like to increase the number to the numbers that we previously had. I think pre-Covid we had more than 50 students who were based in China. Our commitment is that we really want to increase the number of young South Africans who are keen to become part of the global economy,” she said.

Maqubela said China has much to offer the world, particularly in AI investments, and that South Africa aims to learn from China’s expertise and advancements.

rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za

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