Recently, the kick-off meeting for the national key R&D plan project—the "New Generation Biorefinery Engineering for Enhancing Sugarcane Industry Development" under the Intergovernmental International Scientific and Technological Innovation Cooperation (Special Program)—was held at TUST. This project is led by TUST, undertaken jointly with the Durban University of Technology (DUT) from South Africa and Wuhan Polytechnic University (WHPU). Core team members from both the Chinese and South African sides attended the meeting.

Prior to the kick-off meeting, Professor Lu Fuping, Deputy Secretary of the CPC TUST Committee and President of TUST, met with the delegation led by Professor Suren Singh, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences at DUT and the South African project leader, along with other experts and scholars including Professor Hou Yongqing, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC WHPU Committee and Vice President of WHPU. They held in-depth discussions on deepening inter-university cooperation and jointly ensuring the project's success.

At the meeting, Professor Gao Faming, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC TUST Committee and Vice President of TUST, delivered a speech. He highly affirmed the project's significant importance and, on behalf of the university, solemnly committed to providing comprehensive support to ensure the smooth implementation of the project and promote the deep integration of technological innovation and international cooperation. In his address, Professor Suren Singh pointed out that sugarcane is a crucial pillar of South Africa's agricultural economy. Collaborating with China's high-level scientific research team to develop new-generation biorefinery technologies plays a key role in enhancing the value chain of South Africa's sugarcane industry and achieving sustainable resource utilization. He fervently expressed his hope that this project would become a model of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation in China-South Africa science and technology.

As an important participating party, Professor Hou Yongqing stated that Wuhan Polytechnic University would fully collaborate on the joint research efforts and contribute to the smooth progress of the project.

During the kick-off meeting, the project leader, Professor Wang Zhengxiang from the School of Chemical Engineering and Materials at TUST,detailedly introduced the project's research objectives and implementation plan. Professor Wang Zhengxiang stated that the team would conduct joint research focused on sugarcane biorefinery technology, aiming to develop new-generation green processes and improve the comprehensive utilization efficiency of sugarcane resources, working together to benefit the people of both nations.

At the meeting, attending experts and scholars engaged in in-depth exchanges regarding China-South Africa cooperation, scientific research challenges, and technology transformation. It was unanimously agreed that the implementation of this project will not only vigorously promote the green upgrading, quality improvement, and efficiency enhancement of the sugarcane industries in both countries but also inject new momentum into long-term bilateral cooperation in the fields of efficient agricultural resource utilization and green manufacturing. Furthermore, its results and experience are expected to provide a "China-South Africa Solution" for the sustainable development of biomass resources in similar climatic regions globally.

Moving forward, scientists from China and South Africa will work side by side to jointly address challenges, striving to achieve breakthrough progress with international influence in the field of sugarcane biorefining. This effort aims to contribute outstanding "China-South Africa Wisdom" and solid "China-South Africa Strength" to promoting the sustainable development of the global bioeconomy.