China's leading ICT solution provider Huawei recently sent 10 South African university students to China for a two-week ICT training period through its program in Beijing and Shenzhen.

The 10 students are selected from five top universities in South Africa, majoring in communication networks, information technology, software development and business applications.

They are the students participating in the "Seeds for the Future" training program of Huawei SA.

Initiated in 2008 by Huawei, Seeds for the Future is a social investment program that takes students from around the world to receive ICT training and culture exchange at its Shenzhen and Beijing branches.

Over the past seven years, the program has been implemented in 67 countries and regions across five continents, benefiting more than 15,000 students from 150 universities. More than 1,700 university students from around the world have studied at the Huawei headquarters.

African countries that have been part of the initiative include Kenya, Namibia, Botswana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Ghana.

A see-off ceremony was held on November 3, at the Huawei Innovation and Experience Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, marking the program's launch in South Africa.

South Africa's Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services Siyabonga Cwele thanked Huawei for providing this platform and for the partnership and encouraged students to take the opportunity to learn more.

"We are committed as the government to see South Africa be globally competitive. There is no better place to invest then in our youth who are the future of this country. The seeds should remember that they carry the hopes and dreams of this nation," Cwele said.

The Chinese Economic and Commercial Counselor Rong Yansong thanked the South African Government and the Minister Cwele for providing support to Chinese enterprises in South Africa.

He said that the cooperation between China and South Africa will benefit the African continent and people. He wished the students can be experience ambassadors on their return to South Africa.

Mashego Dibetle, a third-year student working on her Bachelor's degree at Tshwane University of Technology, said that she is very excited about the trip and hopes to know more about China and Huawei through the two-week training program in China.

(Reporting from South Africa)