BEIJING: The Pakistani Embassy in Beijing on Thursday hosted the inaugural China-Pakistan Technical and Vocational Education and Training Forum, as a pioneering initiative to enhance bilateral cooperation in the field of education and human resource development. The forum, titled “Strengthening the Skilled Workforce: Shaping a Brighter Future,” brought together policymakers, high-level government officials, renowned TVET service providers, enterprise representatives and leadership of technical and vocational institutes from all over China.
Keynote speakers included Jia Ping, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of the Ministry of Education; Xu Yan, Deputy Director-General of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC); Yang Yi, Director of Vocational Training Department, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. Speakers emphasized the pivotal role of technical and vocational education and training in providing individuals with practical skills, enhancing employment opportunities, and driving innovation in modern industries. They also emphasized cooperation between China and Pakistan in the field of technical and vocational education and training as a bright manifestation of the strong friendship between the two countries.
In his welcome remarks, Khalil Hashmi, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, described the forum as a vital milestone in the embassy’s efforts to support the industrialization process in Pakistan. Ambassador Hashmi expressed his hope that the forum would contribute to building a productive workforce equipped with the basic skills to implement China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects in its next phase. He expressed his appreciation for the exceptional support provided by ITMC China in delivering high quality TVET programs in Pakistan.
In a pre-recorded message, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, Minister of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Pakistan emphasized the critical role of TVET in achieving sustainable economic growth. He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to working with China to expand TVET programs as part of Pakistan’s five-year development framework.
The forum also included video remarks by Federal Secretary for Education and speeches by Sardar Amir Altaf Khan, TEVTA Minister, AJK, Brig. (Retd) Muhammad Sajid Khokhar, Chairman, Punjab TEVTA Foundation, and Amir Afaq, Secretary Industries, Commerce and Technical Education, KPK, who provided an overview of the TEVT landscape in Pakistan, outlined emerging trends and shared recommendations for future collaboration.
Three panel discussions were also organized during the forum to raise public awareness about different dimensions of cooperation in the field of vocational and technical education and training. On this occasion, several MoUs were also signed by Chinese polytechnics, TVET companies, service providers and regional TVET authorities (TEVTA’s) in Pakistan. The unveiling ceremony of the plaque to inaugurate the “Kaiwo Workshop” at the National University of Technology (NUTECH) Islamabad was another highlight of the event.
In his closing remarks, Ambassador Khalil Hashemi congratulated the embassy team on the successful holding of the forum and stressed the importance of effective implementation of the memorandums of understanding signed at the event. He also expressed his determination to make the forum a part of the annual calendar of major events organized by the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing.
The Embassy of Pakistan in China is taking a big step by organizing the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Forum in Beijing trendy blogger
