President Asif Ali Zardari visited Kashgar University, the leading higher education institution in southern Xinjiang, where he was warmly welcomed by Party Secretary Mr Ding Bangwen, faculty members, and students. CPC Kashgar Party Secretary Mr Yao Ning also attended the occasion.
Established in 1962 and upgraded to university status in 2015, Kashgar University has grown into a regional hub of learning and cultural exchange. With three campuses and over 40,000 students and faculty, including hundreds of foreign students, it is set to expand to nearly 50,000 in the coming years.
President Zardari praised the university’s contributions in fields such as science, engineering, technology, agriculture, social sciences, arts, and culture. He highlighted its role as the closest Chinese university to Pakistan, serving as an academic and cultural bridge between the two nations.
During his remarks, the President emphasised the value of investing in youth and education to reinforce the Pakistan-China Strategic Cooperative Partnership. He also noted the significance of the Centre for CPEC at the university, which fosters Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) research and collaboration.
The President interacted with students, including many from Gilgit, Hunza, Dir, and Chitral, who shared that their education, housing, and stipends were fully supported by the Chinese government. Encouraging them to excel, he urged Pakistani students to play their role in deepening the Pakistan-China friendship.
He was accompanied by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, Sindh Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, and China’s Ambassador to Pakistan.
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