LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif met with He Zhongyou, the secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Committee and Political Commissar of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, during her visit to China. The meeting underscored plans to strengthen economic cooperation between Punjab and Xinjiang, focusing on agriculture, technology, industry, and infrastructure.

According to the Chief Minister of Punjab, the discussions also included potential collaborations in healthcare and business, along with initiatives for people-to-people exchange programs. Chief Minister Sharif proposed joint efforts in water-efficient agricultural practices, emphasizing drip irrigation and high-quality seed usage to boost crop yields in water-scarce areas.

She highlighted the importance of learning from China’s modern scientific approaches to tackle water shortages, particularly benefiting drought-prone regions. Punjab, she noted, is recognized as Pakistan’s “food basket,” with ongoing measures aimed at reducing poverty. She suggested launching pilot projects with China for water resource conservation.

The chief minister also pointed out the provincial government’s focus on renewable energy and the enhancement of technical education in Punjab. She acknowledged He Zhongyou’s initiative of hosting the international media tour in Urumqi and explored the possibility of extending online technical support to Pakistani students.