Beijing: The Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing today hosted a symposium aimed at fostering collaboration in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector, with a focus on home appliances, electrical equipment, and battery and power storage manufacturing. The event, themed “Building Partnerships for Skills Development and Academia-Industry Collaboration,” brought together Chinese enterprises, leading TVET institutions, and Pakistani companies to explore investment and skills development opportunities.

According to Press Information Department, officials from China’s Ministry of Human Resource and Social Security and 41 participants from Chinese TVET institutions and companies attended the symposium. Key figures from Pakistan, including the Minister for Planning, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries, and the Chairperson of the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), participated online.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi, highlighted the Embassy’s commitment to fostering sector-specific collaboration in TVET. He noted that the symposium served as a preparatory platform for an upcoming B2B Investment Conference in Lahore, encouraging Chinese enterprises to participate actively to foster joint ventures and partnerships.

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, in a recorded message, emphasized the importance of skilled technicians in reducing import dependence in Pakistan’s growing home appliances market. He cited strategic opportunities under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as central to this effort.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Industries, Haroon Akhtar, and NAVTTC Chairperson, Gulmina Bilal Ahmed, both stressed the importance of collaboration with Chinese partners in developing training programs. Trade and Investment Attaché Muhammad Ayaz presented cooperation models across 21 priority sectors.

Chinese TVET institutions showcased their strengths and expressed interest in collaborating with companies investing in Pakistan. Ambassador Hashmi concluded the event by reaffirming the Embassy’s dedication to translating dialogue into tangible outcomes and expressed appreciation to Chinese institutions planning to attend the Lahore conference in May.