The Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing today hosted a TVET Symposium on Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare and Biotechnology 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 be held in Karachi from 17 to 19 July 2026.
In his opening remarks, the Ambassador of Pakistan to China, H.E. Mr. Khalil Hashmi, said that the symposium marks the next phase of the Pakistan–China TVET Initiative by integrating vocational education with investment promotion. He highlighted Pakistan's demographic advantage, noting that with a population of over 240 million, more than 60 percent of whom are under the age of 30, the country has the potential to become a regional hub for the pharmaceutical, healthcare and biotechnology industries. He emphasized that China's achievements in these sectors offer a valuable model for Pakistan's industrial and skills development.
The Ambassador noted that the initiative seeks to mobilize leading Chinese vocational institutions and enterprises to participate in the Karachi Conference, while promoting industry-led skills development, workforce training, apprenticeships and long-term institutional partnerships. He added that the initiative will follow a two-track approach by integrating Chinese TVET institutions into the B2B Investment Conference and organizing a dedicated TVET Partnership Forum on the sidelines to strengthen collaboration in vocational education, human resource development and investment facilitation under CPEC Phase II.
Addressing the symposium virtually, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, reaffirmed the enduring Pakistan–China friendship and highlighted the Government's commitment under the Uraan Pakistan vision to transform Pakistan into a competitive, knowledge-driven economy through industry-oriented skills development. He underscored the importance of institutional partnerships, joint training programmes, university-industry collaboration, faculty and student exchanges, certification programmes, and Pakistan–China Centres of Excellence to prepare a future-ready workforce for the pharmaceutical, healthcare and biotechnology sectors.
In her video message, Ms. Gulmina Bilal Ahmad, Chairperson of the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), emphasized practical and results-oriented collaboration between Pakistani and Chinese institutions. She encouraged cooperation in train-the-trainer programmes, faculty exchanges, scholarships, joint certification pathways, enterprise-supported training initiatives and sector-specific centres of excellence, while commending the Embassy's efforts in bringing together industry, investors and vocational institutions.
Delivering the keynote address, Ms. Zhang Junhua, Section Chief, Department of Vocational Capacity Building, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, highlighted China's experience in developing a highly skilled workforce for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. She noted that the Ministry had invited five leading Chinese technical institutions specializing in pharmaceutical and healthcare education to explore collaboration with Pakistan and reaffirmed China's commitment to expanding cooperation through joint skills training, institutional exchanges and resource sharing. She also invited the Pakistani delegation to participate in the 48th WorldSkills Competition, to be held in Shanghai from 22 to 27 September 2026.
The symposium featured presentations by leading Chinese TVET institutions, followed by interactive discussions on opportunities for collaboration with Pakistani counterparts in skills development, vocational education and industry engagement.
In his concluding remarks, Ambassador Khalil Hashmi thanked Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, Ms. Gulmina Bilal Ahmad, Ms. Zhang Junhua and the participating Chinese institutions for their valuable contributions and strong interest in the Pakistan–China B2B Investment Conference. Reaffirming the Embassy's commitment to advancing Pakistan–China socio-economic cooperation, he expressed confidence that the symposium would lead to concrete partnerships supporting skills development, industrial cooperation and investment in the pharmaceutical, healthcare and biotechnology sectors.
