Cultural and educational exchanges to further strengthen Pakistan-China relationship: Education Minister

Islamabad: Minister for Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain has said that cultural and educational exchanges will further strengthen Pakistan-China relationship.

He was talking to a Chinese delegation led by External Security Commissioner Cross Agency Working Group of China Cheng Gouping here.

During the meeting, the minister mentioned that Pakistan and China were iron brothers.

The Minister offered condolences at the recent terrorist attack near the University of Karachi’s Confucius Institute which led to the death of three Chinese citizens.

Speaking on the occasion, Cheng Gouping maintained that China highly valued the relationship between the two countries. He informed that there were 300 Chinese students in Pakistan and Beijing deemed it important to enhance people to people exchange.

He said the security of Chinese citizens was of high importance and China wishes to work with the authorities in Pakistan to ensure safety of Chinese citizens.

In response, the Pakistani minister assured the Chinese delegation of providing the highest standard of security to Chinese students at the University Campuses in Pakistan.

The minister said that there were 6,000 Pakistani students who wanted to go back to China to resume their education. He told the Chinese delegate that 250 students are going back soon and hoped that the rest would be able to travel to China as well.

Cheng Gouping assured the minister that the restrictions due to Covid-19 in China had been on a downward trajectory. He also expressed the hope that Pakistani students will soon be able to travel to China to continue their education.

Both delegates agreed to enhance the security of Chinese students and teachers to ensure that people to people exchanges are not affected so that bilateral trade between the two countries can continue to grow.