China supplies early warning system equipment to Pakistan

China supplies early warning system equipment to Pakistan to enhance its weather forecasting as a part of broader efforts.

On November 30, a shipment of meteorological observation equipment from China arrived in Pakistan, aimed at strengthening the country’s ability to manage and mitigate meteorological disasters and address climate change.

Starting in 2023, experts from the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) and the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) began collaborating on the development of a Cloud-based Early Warning System.

The System utilizes a cloud-based platform and toolbox that incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) models, weather identification algorithms, and early warning dissemination methods. It is designed to efficiently monitor meteorological disasters and is tailored to Pakistan’s needs, with a focus on extreme weather events like glacial lake outburst floods, monsoon bursts, and heavy rains.

China’s Broader Efforts

As global warming and extreme weather events increase, there is a pressing need to improve early warning systems. The CMA has been dedicated to enhancing disaster risk reduction and climate change response capabilities in collaboration with other nations.

In this backdrop, in July, China further organized a training workshop for Pakistani meteorological experts, with 20 PMD specialists traveling to Beijing to attend the Cloud-based Early Warning System workshop.

Sohail Babar Cheema, an expert from PMD, also stated, “With the Cloud-based Early Warning System, we can improve the accuracy of weather forecasts using advanced technologies like AI.”

During COP29, China unveiled its Action Plan on Early Warning for Climate Change Adaptation (2025-2027), reaffirming its commitment to assisting developing countries in strengthening early warning systems and adapting to climate change.

Moreover, XU Xianghua, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation at CMA, commented that the Cloud-based Early Warning System is a digital tool supporting the United Nations’ Early Warnings for All Initiative to combat climate change.

Additionally, Charles Malakela, a meteorological scholar from Tanzania visiting as part of the Belt and Road initiative, emphasized the importance of science and technology in enhancing early warning systems and expressed hope that such systems could be implemented in Tanzania in the future.