Prof. Dr. Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri Highlights Education as Key to Stronger Pakistan-China Relations

Prof. Dr. Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri, Deputy Chairman, Board of Governors, Minhaj University Lahore, delivered the welcoming remarks at the inauguration of the Confucius Center at Minhaj University Lahore, held in conjunction with the ceremony marking the 75th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Pakistan and China.

In his address, he reflected on the historic journey of Pakistan–China relations and highlighted that the partnership between the two countries has remained strong through changing governments, economic challenges and global crises. He described consistency, mutual respect and patience as three defining qualities that have sustained this friendship across generations.

Tracing key milestones in bilateral relations, he recalled Pakistan’s establishment of diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China in 1951, Pakistan International Airlines becoming the first airline from a non-communist country to fly to China in 1964, Pakistan’s role as a trusted diplomatic channel between China and the United States in 1971, and the construction of the Karakoram Highway as a lasting symbol of cooperation between the two nations.

He also highlighted the expanding economic dimension of the relationship, referring to China’s position as Pakistan’s largest trading partner for twelve consecutive years and the growing role of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in investment, infrastructure and employment. He emphasized that the next phase of this partnership should create greater opportunities for Pakistani exporters, entrepreneurs and professionals to understand the Chinese market, language and culture and engage more effectively with one of the world’s largest economies.

Focusing on education, Prof. Dr. Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri noted that more than 28,000 Pakistani students are currently studying in China, including over 6,000 PhD scholars, making Pakistan one of the leading sources of international students in Chinese universities. He further highlighted the growing academic connection between the two countries through university partnerships, research collaboration and the CPEC Consortium of Universities.

He stressed that the future of Pakistan–China friendship cannot rely only on government agreements and economic projects. According to him, its long-term strength will depend on deeper people-to-people connections, educational cooperation, cultural understanding and youth engagement.

Emphasizing the importance of Chinese language education, he stated that language is more than a means of communication; it is a bridge between civilizations. Learning Chinese, he said, will enable Pakistani students to better understand Chinese society, intellectual traditions and professional opportunities, while also helping Chinese partners develop a deeper understanding of Pakistan’s culture, history and values.

Speaking about the role of Minhaj University Lahore, he highlighted the university’s commitment to international academic engagement and referred to its existing collaboration with Shanghai International Studies University, including the establishment of the Corpus Research Center focusing on language research, artificial intelligence and translation studies. He said that the Confucius Center builds upon this existing academic foundation and further strengthens MUL’s engagement with Chinese academia.

He expressed the vision that the Confucius Center should evolve into a center of excellence for Chinese language education and a hub for student and faculty exchanges, joint research and publications, academic conferences, seminars, cultural programmes and professional development. He added that its impact should extend beyond the university campus and serve students, researchers, professionals and institutions across Lahore.

Addressing the students, he encouraged them to take ownership of this new initiative and become part of the next generation that carries Pakistan–China friendship forward. He expressed the hope that many future Pakistani students beginning their academic journeys towards China would start from the classrooms of the newly inaugurated Confucius Center at Minhaj University Lahore.

Concluding his welcoming remarks, Prof. Dr. Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri congratulated the university community, organizers and students involved in the ceremony and expressed the hope that the Confucius Center would flourish as a center of learning, research, culture and friendship, contributing to an even stronger Pakistan–China relationship in the decades ahead.