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ROUND-TABLE OF CHINESE STUDY CENTERS IN ISLAMABAD

Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) has organized a round-table on 7^th March 2019 at ISSI. Diplomats, experts and senior government officials and Directors of China Study Centres and Institutes in Pakistan participated in the round-table. Prof Dr Zahid Anwar Director, China Study Centre, University of Peshawar also participated in the said round-table.

Honorable Tehmina Janjua, Foreign Secretary of Pakistan during her address as Chief Guest at the Roundtable said that Pakistan-China strategic partnership is a pillar of peace and stability in the region and added that China is now the strong voice of the developing countries, and its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) provides a vehicle for change and is indeed a win-win model. She said that with the progress of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), China has now become the largest investor and partner of Pakistan. While its Special Economic Zones (SEZs) under CPEC are all-encompassing and will benefits all parts of Pakistan, work needs to be enhanced in people-to-people exchanges and this is where the centers and institutions working on China can help.

Keynote speaker, H.E. Mr. Yao Jing. Ambassador, Peoples Republic of China said that the coming together of China focused centers was an important occasion. China-Pakistan relations figure very high in all of China’s relations and China attaches special importance to its relationship with Pakistan, especially in the changing, complex world order. China studies have now become more extensive in Pakistani academic efforts and the input, advice and proposals received from this round-table will aid the foreign policy direction of both countries, he underlined.

The agenda for the Roundtable was to discuss the areas of research each center is currently focusing on and to outline avenues of future collaboration. Participants included representatives from China Studies Centers and Institutes from across the Pakistan including: Prof. Dr. Zahid Anwar, China Study Centre, University of Peshawar, Dr Fazal-ur-Rahman of Pakistan Institute of China Studies, University of Sargodha; Dr Ghulam Akbar Mahesar of Far East & Southeast Asia Study Centre University of Sindh, Jamshoro; Dr. Kaleem Ullah Mandokhail, Focal Person, Chinese Study Centre, University of Balochistan; Dr. Khalid Manzoor Butt, China Study Centre, GCU, Lahore; Dr. Omair Haroon, CPMI, Suleman Dawood School of Business, LUMS; Dr. Samina Sabir, CPEC Centre, University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir; Dr. Saranjam Baig, Centre for Research on CPEC, Karakoarm International University; Mr. Muhammad Arshad Qaim Khani, China Economic Forum; Syed Tanvir Abbas Jafri, COMSATS Chinese Study Centre, Islamabad; Dr Imran S. Khalid, SDPI China Study Centre; Mr. Zamir Awan of Chinese study Centre, NUST, Dr Talat Shabbir, Director CPSC, ISSI and Ms. Saadia Waqar un Nisa, the Director CPEC at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Directors of the China Study Centres deliberations explored the ways and means to coordinate their efforts and enhance the constructive engagement among these centres. The discussion focused on channels for further cooperation, and the speakers agreed that the need of the hour is to focus on building human resource capacity which can later be passed on to the younger generation. The participants agreed that attention should be paid to joint publications, research collaboration , exchange programmes for researchers, fieldwork support, host joint events, talks, seminars, conferences and an annual national China Centers conference to promote further understanding.

Prof. Dr. Zahid Anwar

CSC, UOP