Pakistan and China pursuing formal S&T cooperation under 1976 agreement, minister elaborates on joint efforts

Islamabad: Pakistan and China are pursuing formal Scientific and Technological Cooperation since signing an agreement of Science and Technology (S&T) cooperation in 1976, a special dinner meeting at the Chinese embassy was told.

The dinner was arranged by the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong in the honor of the Federal Minister for Science and Technology Agha Hassan Baloch, the Chinese embassy said.

The Federal Minister was accompanied by senior officers of the Ministry. The two sides discussed the historical perspective of the good relation particularly in the field of Science and technology between the two countries.

This Pakistan-China Agreement is implemented through Executive Protocols. So far eighteen Executive Protocols have been successfully implemented. 13 Joint Research Projects are under implementation under the 18th Protocol.

The two sides emphasize on the early holding of the 19th session of the Joint Committee on S&T Cooperation. The Federal Minister for S&T while sharing the details of the good bilateral cooperation stated that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was a framework of regional connectivity. CPEC will not only benefit China and Pakistan but will have positive impact on Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asian Republic, and the region.

He maintained that the enhancement of geographical linkages have improved road, rail and air transportation system with frequent and free exchanges of growth and people to people contact.

“The CPEC is journey towards economic regionalization in the globalized world. To deepen the bilateral S&T cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and CPEC the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the establishment of Pakistan-China Joint Working Groups (JWGs) on Science, Technology in March, 2020,” he added.

The first meeting of the JWG on S&T was held on 6th November 2020 in virtual mode. The 2nd meeting of the JWG on S&T under CPEC was held on 20th April 2022 in virtual mode.

About then implementation status of the main decisions of the two meetings of the JWG, the minister elaborated that China-Pakistan Joint Research Center on Earth Sciences was established at a cost of Rs.6.8 billion.

He mentioned that after signing of the Document of Understanding (DoU) between Chinese Academy Sciences (CAS) and Higher Education Commission (HEC), the 50 acre of land was donated by Quaid-e-Azam University for the Center.

He further said that CIDCA and HEC signed an MoU on the Project of China-Pakistan Joint Research Center (CPJRC) on Earth Sciences on 21st March 2022.

Baloch stated that the Planning Commission of Pakistan had approved the PC-I of the Project at cost of Rs. 7.397 billion,

He underlined that vooperation on STEM Education Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) was coordinating with its Chinese counterpart for cooperation on Knowledge Corridor, STEM Education, Capacity Building and training through people to people exchanges.

He remarked that a MoU in the above regards was being finalized between the two sides.

The minister shared that Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between PEC and CAST Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) and China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) were working on an Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) for cooperation of mutual recognition for engineers by two sides.

He highlighted that under the Training of Pakistani Researcher through TYSP so far more than 207 Pakistani researchers had availed capacity building opportunities in China in different Institutions through “The Young Scientists Program (TYSP)”.

Baloch told the audience that under the Cooperation on Technology Transfer an MoU on the Establishment of China-Pakistan Technology Transfer Centre at PCSIR was ready for signing.

He said the center has already held two Matchmaking Virtual Workshops themed on deepening China-Pakistan Cooperation on STI and for CPEC respectively held on July 2019 and December 16, 2021. The minister said that under the Cooperation on Technology Parks an MoU between STZA and GreatWall Enterprise Institute (GEI), for Training and Capacity Building of policy-makers and decision-makers on S&T Ecosystem and S&T Parks was ready for signing subject to the concurrence of the Chinse side. He updated that 63 Personnel had received online training on Industrial Park in September 2021.

The minister underlined that under the Cooperation on the Joint Research Laboratories The Southeast University of China and the University of Science and Technology Bannu were working on MoU for the Establishment of Joint Laboratory on Smart Disaster Prevention of Major Infrastructures at University of Science and Technology Bannu. “Space Cooperation between China and Pakistan MoST Pakistan and the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad are coordinating for holding of celebration ceremony on the return of Pakistani origin seed taken by the Chinese Astounds into space in June 2022 for experimental purposes,” he added.