Xinhua News
Lanzhou — Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi, during his recent visit to Lanzhou, emphasized strengthening the longstanding Pakistan-China friendship and expanding cooperation across multiple sectors.
Ambassador Hashmi remarked that he had returned to Lanzhou after 17 years and was pleasantly surprised by the city’s significant and positive transformation. He highlighted the deep cultural and educational ties between Gansu Province and Pakistan and stressed the potential for expanding collaboration in technical education, agriculture, petrochemicals, minerals, and new energy sectors.
Advancements in Education, Research, and Technology
The visit began at Lanzhou University, one of the oldest modern universities in Northwest China. The university has established strong academic ties with various Pakistani institutions, including Abbottabad University of Science and Technology and the University of Peshawar, through academic exchanges, joint research, and faculty and student programs.
Ambassador Hashmi expressed particular interest in plastic film mulching technology, which helps retain soil moisture and store rainwater while offering high efficiency at low cost. He hoped this technology would soon be introduced in Pakistan to benefit local farmers.
CPEC and Prospects for Cooperation with Western China
The Ambassador underlined Pakistan’s strategic location at the crossroads of South, Central, and West Asia, making it a natural trade corridor. He emphasized that enhanced cooperation with western Chinese regions would strengthen trade and logistics ties and further reinforce the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
According to recent data, bilateral trade between Gansu and Pakistan reached 624 million yuan in the first half of 2025. Pakistan’s main exports included agricultural products like vegetable seeds, while imports focused on precious metals and related resources.
Expanding Cultural and Scientific Cooperation
Cultural ties between Gansu and Pakistan are also deepening. In 2023, the Gansu Provincial Museum, in collaboration with Pakistani institutions, hosted an exhibition on Gandhara heritage along the Silk Road, attracting large numbers of Chinese visitors.
Moreover, the Gansu University of Chinese Medicine established a traditional Chinese medicine center in Pakistan in 2016. The center currently treats over 50 patients daily and provides training to Pakistani experts in traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture.
Positive Experience of Pakistani Students
Muhammad Adil, a PhD student at Lanzhou University’s College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, praised the growing people-to-people exchanges. He noted that Lanzhou’s natural environment is similar to his hometown in Pakistan and that the agricultural and livestock techniques he is learning will be highly applicable back home.
Conclusion and the Road Ahead
Ambassador Hashmi expressed optimism that his visit would give new momentum to Pakistan-Gansu cooperation in education, agriculture, trade, energy, petrochemicals, and logistics. He stated that such initiatives would continue to deepen the evergreen strategic partnership between Pakistan and China.
