FAISALABAD: Chinese Consul General Lahore Long Dingbin on Monday said that China and Pakistan were enjoying time-tested relations that would be further strengthened especially in the fields of agriculture, education and trade to get benefit from each other experiences.
Addressed a meeting at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) in which all UAF deans and directors participated, the Consul General said the agriculture ties had become one of the priority areas of collaboration between the both countries.
He said the Punjab had been blessed with fertile land and it was producing agricultural products of the good quality. He added that the mango of the province were famous around the globe due to its taste and aroma. He was of the view that although Pakistan was moving towards industrialization but the agriculture was the base for the development and prosperity. Terming the UAF, a University of Innovations, he said the University had played a pivotal role in the development and uplift of the agriculture sector.
He told the audience that China had established two Confucius Institutes in the Punjab one at UAF and the other one at the Punjab University. The institutes are meant for further flourishing the relations by producing the people having the knowledge of Chinese language and culture that would bring the people further closer.
He said that Urdu language was being taught at various Chinese Universities. He said that China was giving many scholarships to the Pakistan nationals for the knowledge exchanges and benefit of the people. He said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor was a hallmark step towards the uplift and prosperity.
He added that people of China Pakistan were like a brothers who were enjoying the long lasting ties which are deeper than the ocean and higher than the mountains. Earlier, Vice Chancellor UAF Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that the 36 UAF faculty members had obtained degrees from the China whereas nine were pursuing their degree from China. He said that China was having the biggest share of the UAF foreign qualified faculty.
He suggested establishment of Pakistan China Agriculture Park at the UAF that would help address the issue of the farming community.
He said that UAF academic ties with Chinese universities were being boosted to get benefit from each other experience. He said Chinese universities were proving their mettle globally in every field. He added the country would witness an economic turnaround that would help ensure sustainable development due to CPEC.
He said the UAF was enjoying the good relationship with the Chinese Universities including Xinjiang Agriculture University and Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU) China.
He said that seven UAF faculty members have sent for studies last year in FAFU whereas ten more be sent this year. Vice Chairman Confucius Dr Ashfaq Ahmad said that Chinese was being at an elective course for the agricultural engineering at the UAF.
He said that 1700 UAF students had appeared in the Chinese language tests. In the last some months, ten Chinese tests had been conducted at the UAF.
He said that UAF more than 35 faculty members had completed Chinese language test here at UAF.
