ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's embassy in Beijing on Wednesday hosted a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) symposium, targeting partnerships in home appliances, electrical equipment, and battery storage.

The event, themed "Building Partnerships for Skills Development and Academia–Industry Collaboration", brought together Chinese enterprises, TVET institutions, and Pakistani companies to explore investment and skills development opportunities in these high-potential sectors, according to a press statement issued by the Press Information Department (PID).

Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi, in his opening remarks, said the initiative was part of a shift towards "sector-specific, outcome-oriented collaboration" in TVET.

"This symposium serves as a preparatory platform for the upcoming B2B Investment Conference in Lahore," he said, encouraging Chinese firms to participate and build joint ventures in targeted sectors.

"TVET lies at the core of industrial development and economic resilience," adding that a skilled workforce would be critical to fully leveraging foreign investment, particularly under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Officials from China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and representatives of dozens of Chinese TVET institutions attended, alongside Pakistani companies and policymakers joining virtually, as per the statement.

In a recorded message, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal highlighted the scale of Pakistan’s domestic market, noting the home appliances sector was valued at $5.6 billion, while imports of electrical equipment surged 75% to nearly $6 billion last year.

"Skilled technicians can bridge the gap between import dependence and domestic production," he said, pointing to initiatives under CPEC 2.0, including the proposed 'Livelihood Corridor' and the 'URAAN Pakistan' framework.

Iqbal reaffirmed plans to upgrade 250 TVET centers and launch a 60,000-person paid internship programme.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar called for deeper collaboration with Chinese partners to establish training programmes and centers of excellence, while Gulmina Bilal Ahmed, chairperson of the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission, emphasized joint training and industry-led apprenticeships.

Trade and Investment Attaché Muhammad Ayaz outlined cooperation models across 21 priority sectors, including electric vehicles, electronics, and information technology, according to PID.

In his closing remarks, Ambassador Hashmi reiterated the embassy’s focus on translating dialogue into "tangible, sector-driven outcomes" and welcomed the participation of Chinese institutions in the Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference scheduled for May 9–10 in Lahore.

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Pakistan, China explore partnerships in appliances, battery sectors