STAFF REPORTER
ISLAMABAD: Chinese language learning brings job opportunities to Pakistani youth, said Dr. Tahir Mumtaz Awan, Director of the China Study Centre at COMSATS University at the 2023 CPEC and People-to-People Exchange Forum.
China is Pakistan’s largest trading partner. Proficiency in Chinese can open up job opportunities, especially in sectors related to trade, technology, and infrastructure.
According to Dr. Tahir Mumtaz Awan China is becoming an increasingly popular destination for Pakistani students pursuing higher education.
As Pakistan’s youth population represents a significant proportion of the country’s workforce, investing in their skills development through language learning is crucial for national development.
Learning Chinese can promote cultural understanding and exchange between the people of China and Pakistan, fostering stronger people-to-people ties.
Efforts are being made in Pakistan for Chinese learning, including establishing China-Pakistan Higher Education Research Institutes and the CPEC Consortium of Universities,” he added, Gwadar Pro reported on Sunday.
The Confucius Institute at the University of Karachi has been committed to promoting people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan.
It has implemented the 2+2 joint training program for undergraduate Chinese language majors with Sichuan Normal University, co-built a Chinese language practice base with the Karachi Branch of the Bank of China, and set up the first Chinese language teaching center under CPEC in the Thar Block-1 Integrated Mine-Power Project undertaken by Shanghai Electric, providing language support for the construction of CPEC.
“With their excellent language skills, the outstanding students trained by the Confucius Institute hold important positions in our bank, effectively communicating with Chinese employees and customers.
They become an important link of cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan, creating a more harmonious and inclusive environment for the development of our bank,” said Mr. Yin Xiaohu, Deputy CEO of Bank of China, Karachi Branch on the occasion.
The forum, organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Karachi and co-organized by Confucius Institutes at Faisalabad Agricultural University, University of the Punjab, University of Sargodha, Confucius Institute in Islamabad, Confucius Classroom at Cadet College, and Millennium Confucius Classroom, brought together 130 business leaders, cultural figures, scholars, and students from China and Pakistan.