Chinese educators are crowded by local students at the Career Indaba 2014 at Sandton Convention Center, Johannesburg, South Africa, on May 19, 2014. By Li Jianguo

Eighteen of China's key universities plan to recruit more than 400 South African students to study in China. The news was announced at this year's Career Indaba held May 19-20, 2014 at the Sandton Convention Center, Johannesburg, South Africa. 

The 18 universities (listed below) from China offer programs in clinic medicine, stomatology, electronic information engineering, genetic engineering, aviation manufacturing, international trade, pedagogy, psychology, and flight attendant training, among other subjects. 

Deputy Secretary General of the China Scholarship Council Zhang Ning said that about 356,000 overseas students came to study in China in 2013, and among them, 1,019 were from South Africa. 

Zhang said that all the 18 participating universities offer Chinese Government scholarship programs, and some provide special scholarships for South African students. 

With continuously increased bilateral economic and trade ties, both Chinese businesses in South Africa and South African companies in China will have a high demand for professionals who understand both cultures and languages, Zhang said, adding that studying in China today might mean a better job opportunity tomorrow. 

Song Bo, First Secretary at the culture section of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa, said that each year the Chinese Ministry of Education and South Africa's Department of Education will select 40 of South Africa's top students to study in China. He revealed that both sides are having discussion on mutual recognition of higher education qualifications between the two countries, with an agreement expected to be reached this year. 

Some of the Chinese universities participated in this education fair for the first time. The Pretoria-based China Culture and International Exchange Center will help them in recruiting South African students, and overseas Chinese students, said Executive Director Lu Zhilei of the center. 

Launched in 2012, this education fair is organized by Spintelligent. According to its business development manager, Tanya Jackman, it was the third Career Indaba held in South Africa, and it attracted more Chinese universities than either of the previous two. She believes that China is an education destination with a promising future, and that events like this help deepen relations.

List of 18 Chinese universities recruiting students in South Africa (at the Career Indaba 2014) 

Peking University Health Science Center

Capital Medical University

Beihang University

University of Science and Technology Beijing

Tongji University

Shandong University

China University of Geosciences

China Pharmaceutical University

Huazhong University of Science and Technology

Inner Mongolia University

Nanchang Hangkong University

Shanxi University

Hefei University of Technology

South China University of Technology

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Fujian Medical University

Shandong Jiaotong University

Southwest University