Establishment of China-South Africa Computational Astrophysics Research Center

On November 21, 2016, the National Astronomical Observatory of China and the Astrophysics and Cosmology Research Unit at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (中国南非双边计算天体物理学联合中心) held the opening ceremony for the joint China-South Africa Computational Astrophysics Research Center in Durban.

Professor Albert van Jaarsveld, President of KwaZulu-Nite University, and Prof.

Xuelei Chen, a representative entrusted by Director of National Astronomical Observatory Yan Jun, signed the agreement on the establishment of the joint center, which was signed by Thomas Auf der Heyde, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology of South Africa Kong Minghui, Director of the Science Department witnessed the signature In March of 2015, the two sides visited each other and signed a cooperation agreement.

On November 3, 2016, Hou Lihong, Science and Technology Counselor of the Embassy in South Africa, and his entourage visited KwaZulu-Natal University to promote pragmatic cooperation in the field of Central and South Astronomy.

Counselor Hou Lihong and his party attended the bilateral astronomical cooperation seminar between the National Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and KwaZulu-Natal University. It is unclear how much funding was allocated for this project and which Chinese government entity provided funding.