On the morning of April 16, 2025, Khalil Hashmi, Pakistani Ambassador to China and Consul General in Guangzhou, along with his delegation, visited Shenzhen University. President Mao Junfa of Shenzhen University met with the guests. The two parties signed a memorandum of cooperation in Room 401 of Huiyuan Building at the Yuehai Campus to jointly establish the “Center for Pakistan Studies” at Shenzhen University and inaugurated the center together.

President Mao Junfa delivered a speech at the inauguration ceremony. He stated that Shenzhen University has currently established connections with nine universities in Pakistan and has made tangible progress in international student education and student exchange programs. Additionally, the university has jointly established the “Belt and Road Joint Research Center for AIoT” with the Pakistan Engineering Council and has engaged in research collaboration with the Global Silk Road Research Alliance in fields such as the Internet of Things, new energy, and artificial intelligence, actively promoting the transformation of scientific research achievements and contributing to the sustainable development of China-Pakistan economic cooperation. The establishment of the Center for Pakistan Studies at Shenzhen University represents a significant step in the university’s internationalization efforts and an important achievement in China-Pakistan people-to-people exchanges and friendly cooperation. It will provide a professional platform to further advance academic collaboration and cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan, as well as strong support for their cooperation across various fields in South China. In the future, he looks forward to welcoming more Pakistani students to Shenzhen University for study and exchange, working together to usher in a new chapter in China-Pakistan friendship.

Khalil Hashmi expressed high appreciation for the rapid development and achievements of Shenzhen and Shenzhen University. He stated that last year, the Prime Minister of Pakistan visited Shenzhen and held landmark business and investment talks between China and Pakistan; today, the establishment of the Center for Pakistan Studies at Shenzhen University further deepens the diverse economic and cultural cooperation and exchanges between the two countries. He looks forward to leveraging the center to promote bilateral collaboration in technological fields, advance high-level scientific research and practical innovation in Pakistan, and facilitate the upgrading of eco-friendly industries. He also hopes that the center will serve as a platform for exchanges between young Chinese and Pakistani students, contributing to the building of a shared future in technological collaboration between China and Pakistan.

Dai Yonghong, Director of the Center for Pakistan Studies, stated that the center will focus on serving the overarching diplomatic goals of the nation and regional diplomatic priorities, with a mission to promote the development of China-Pakistan friendly relations. Grounded in and oriented toward high-caliber academic research and practical innovation, it will strive to become a leading and internationally renowned institute of its kind, continuously enhancing its academic influence and global reputation.

Mao Junfa and Khalil Hashmi signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Joint Establishment of the Center for Pakistan Studies at Shenzhen University on behalf of their respective institutions, and jointly unveiled the plaque for the Center.

Following the ceremony, representatives from both sides held discussions on matters pertaining to the establishment and future development of the research center.

First Reviewer: Wang Jiao, Zhou Qianru

Second Reviewer: Fu Le

Third Reviewer: Dai Yonghong