BEIJING, Dec 24 (APP): Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi, said the second edition of the Pakistan-China Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Forum, held a day earlier, was dedicated entirely to the agriculture sector, covering ten of its sub-sectors.
Speaking to APP after the forum, Ambassador Hashmi noted that the event had several unique features and marked a first-of-its-kind initiative.
He explained that the primary objective was to integrate Pakistan’s efforts to attract Chinese investment across 21 priority sectors with parallel initiatives aimed at providing vocational training to Pakistani youth.
He emphasized that while investments, factories, and industrial parks are essential, their success ultimately depends on the availability of a skilled and trained workforce capable of operating them. “This broader objective is being pursued in a highly targeted manner, with agriculture chosen as the starting point,” he said.
The ambassador expressed satisfaction over the strong participation of Chinese institutions across various agricultural sub-sectors. He also highlighted the presence of Chinese agricultural enterprises that had earlier taken part in the B2B investment conference held in September, along with Pakistani counterparts—some attending in person at the embassy and others joining online. Numerous agricultural enterprises, company representatives, and industry associations also participated virtually.
He said the embassy was pleased with the forum’s outcomes, particularly the increased awareness it generated. Ambassador Hashmi added that Pakistani agricultural enterprises and associations were being encouraged to clearly identify and articulate their specific needs, which would then allow the embassy to connect them with relevant Chinese vocational training institutions in a focused and targeted manner.
Outlining future plans, he said the positive response and quality of presentations had reinforced the decision to continue this sector-by-sector approach. The process, he noted, would be driven by clearly defined requirements from Pakistani stakeholders, enabling effective networking with Chinese institutions in a mutually beneficial framework.
He concluded by saying that similar forums would be organized for other sectors among the 21 priority areas, with electric vehicles likely to be the next focus.