On July 3, 2018, the sixth BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation Ministerial Meeting was successfully held in Durban, South Africa. The ministerial meeting was held to follow up on the Xiamen Declaration issued at the ninth BRICS Leaders Summit held in China in September 2017 and the MOU on Inter-governmental Cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation of BRICS Countries. The science and technology ministers of the five BRICS countries attended the meeting. Vice Minister of Science and Technology Huang Wei led the Chinese delegation to the meeting, and Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane of South Africa presided over the meeting. In his statement at the meeting, Vice Minister Huang introduced China’s innovation-driven growth policy and practices for promoting youth innovation and entrepreneurship. He applauded the progress of science and innovation cooperation among BRICS countries and expressed China’s willingness to continue to work with other BRICS countries to promote practical cooperation, and jointly address global challenges.

Under the theme of “Leveraging BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation to Enhance Inclusive Growth and Development”, the ministers discussed the following topics: technology innovation policies and new initiatives of BRICS countries; progress in the implementation of cooperation programs, coordination challenges and efficiency of the working group; progress of the science, technology and innovation framework programme, and the establishment of a permanent mechanism for the management and coordination of the science and innovation activities of BRICS countries; and BRICS science, technology and innovation work plan. After the meeting, the Durban Declaration and the BRICS Work Plan on Science, Technology and Innovation (2018-2019) were released. China’s proposals, including the Partnership for New Industrial Revolution, the establishment of the BRICS Technology Transfer Center, the establishment of An Integrated Hub for BRICS Innovation Collaboration on ICT and HPC, and the incorporation of the aviation sector into the BRICS science, technology and innovation framework programme, were all included in the declaration.   

Before the meeting, the eighth Meeting of BRICS Senior Officials on Science, Technology and Innovation and the 4th BRICS STI Funding Party Working Group Meeting were held. In addition, the third BRICS Young Scientists Forum, as a side event of the meeting, was held from June 24 to 29, and more than 20 young scientists and innovative entrepreneurs from China attended the meeting. The Chinese representative received the third prize in the innovation award.