TVET Symposium: Pakistan Embassy in China Advances Skills and Investment Partnerships
Symposium in Beijing focuses on vocational training, industry collaboration, and investment opportunities in pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and biotechnology.
Pakistan Embassy in Beijing hosts a TVET Symposium to strengthen skills and investment collaboration.
The Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing hosted a TVET Symposium focused on pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and biotechnology to strengthen partnerships in skills development, industry integration, and investment facilitation ahead of a major Pakistan–China business engagement later this month.
Held under the theme “Building Partnerships for Skills Development, Industry Integration and Investment Facilitation,” the symposium served as a preparatory platform for the Pakistan–China B2B Investment Conference on Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare and Biotechnology scheduled to take place in Karachi from 17 to 19 July 2026.
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In his opening remarks, Ambassador of Pakistan to China Khalil Hashmi said the event represents the next phase of the Pakistan–China TVET Initiative by linking vocational education with investment promotion and industrial growth.
He highlighted Pakistan’s demographic advantage, noting that more than 60 percent of the country’s population is under the age of 30 and said this presents a strong opportunity to position Pakistan as a regional centre for pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and biotechnology.
The Ambassador said the initiative aims to encourage leading Chinese vocational institutions and enterprises to participate in the Karachi conference while promoting workforce training, apprenticeships, and long-term institutional partnerships.
He explained that the initiative will adopt a two-track approach by integrating Chinese TVET institutions into the investment conference and organizing a dedicated TVET Partnership Forum to expand cooperation in vocational education, human resource development, and investment facilitation under CPEC Phase II.
Addressing the symposium virtually, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to transforming the country into a competitive and knowledge-driven economy through industry-focused skills development under the Uraan Pakistan vision.
He emphasized the importance of institutional collaboration, joint training programmes, university-industry partnerships, faculty and student exchanges, certification pathways, and Pakistan–China Centres of Excellence to prepare a future-ready workforce.
In her video message, NAVTTC Chairperson Gulmina Bilal Ahmad called for practical and outcome-based cooperation between institutions in both countries. She encouraged collaboration through trainer development programmes, scholarships, faculty exchanges, enterprise-supported training, and specialised centres of excellence.
Delivering the keynote address, Zhang Junhua, Section Chief at China’s Department of Vocational Capacity Building under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, highlighted China’s experience in building a highly skilled workforce for healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.
She said five leading Chinese technical institutions specialising in pharmaceutical and healthcare education had been invited to explore cooperation with Pakistan and reaffirmed support for joint training programmes, institutional exchange, and resource sharing.
She also invited the Pakistani delegation to participate in the 48th WorldSkills Competition scheduled to take place in Shanghai from 22 to 27 September 2026.
The symposium concluded with presentations by Chinese TVET institutions and discussions on strengthening collaboration with Pakistani counterparts in vocational education, skills development, and industry engagement.
In closing remarks, Ambassador Khalil Hashmi thanked participants and expressed confidence that the initiative would lead to practical partnerships supporting industrial growth, investment, and workforce development in pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and biotechnology.
