(Lanzhou)

Mr. Bai Jiangping, Deputy Director, Gansu Provincial Department of Education;

Mr. Zhang Mengtao, President, Gansu Finance and Trade Professional College;

Mr. Wang Peng, Managing Director, ITMC Technology Company;

Mr. Ma Xiaoyan (Max Ma), UNI Services International (Pvt.) Limited;

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning and dàjiā hǎo.

It is a great pleasure to join this important seminar virtually on international cooperation and SME entrepreneurship. I extend my sincere appreciation to the Gansu Provincial Government, Gansu Finance and Trade Professional College, KP-TEVTA, ITMC Technology Company, UNI International, and the many institutions from Pakistan and China who have come together to make this moment possible.

The launch of the SME Entrepreneurship and Management Vocational Education Branch under the China-Pakistan Digital Education Alliance is a timely and forward-looking initiative. It reflects a shared commitment to building the next generation of skilled, empowered, and digitally fluent entrepreneurs. I offer my heartfelt congratulations and full support for its success.

Today’s seminar is a meeting of minds and a convergence of purpose. We are here to both talk and build. To build partnerships that equip our youth with tools for the digital age.

To build platforms that bring innovation to the heart of enterprise. And to build opportunities that transcend borders and create lasting prosperity.

I am particularly pleased that the Letter of Cooperation between KP-TEVTA and Gansu Finance and Trade Professional College, signed during the China-Pakistan TVET Forum at Pakistan Embassy in Beijing in December 2024, is now being implemented. This demonstrates continuity, commitment, and credibility, qualities essential to any successful long-term partnership.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In Pakistan, small and medium enterprises are the foundation of our economy. They account for a substantial portion of our GDP and are central to job creation and inclusive growth. Our government is deeply invested in strengthening the SME ecosystem: through digital transformation, skills training, innovation, and enabling finance. And we believe that vocational education is the engine that drives this transformation.

Digital learning is both a policy priority and an economic imperative. As Confucius said, “He who learns but does not think is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.” I therefore bring your attention to what digital and vocational education can deliver: confidence, hope, and peace through prosperity.

I commend the proactive efforts of ITMC Technology Company and UNI International in fostering meaningful collaboration and digital capacity-building between Pakistan and China. These are the kinds of partnerships that build real, tangible results.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Our cooperation under CPEC is already expanding beyond infrastructure into sectors like industry, science and technology, and entrepreneurship. The time is right to deepen this cooperation further. We should consider launching China-Pakistan SME innovation labs, joint e-commerce platforms, and bilateral training programs focused on digital and business management skills.

And let us ensure that this transformation reaches every corner of our countries. I urge participating institutions to give special attention to youth and women entrepreneurs from Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and rural areas of KP, Punjab, and Sindh. Opportunity should be created both for cities and towns and for everyone.

The SME branch of the China-Pakistan Digital Education Alliance will be a powerful addition to our bilateral vocational training landscape. It will open doors for Pakistani youth to master digital technologies, cross-border e-commerce, and the evolving tools of entrepreneurship. This is the kind of initiative that turns potential into productivity.

We fully recognize the role of TVET in driving economic growth and workforce transformation. As industries evolve, so must our education systems. We must scale up training programs, align them with industry needs, and enhance employability across sectors - from renewable energy and electric vehicles to mining, tourism, agriculture, and digital services.

We also admire China’s leadership in advanced technologies, from artificial intelligence and robotics to renewable energy and smart manufacturing. These are the very areas where Pakistan can benefit most from collaboration, exchange, and joint innovation.

To that end, the Embassy of Pakistan has recently drafted a framework agreement on TVET cooperation which we plan to share with our Chinese counterparts. This framework aims to formalize a sustainable, structured partnership built on curriculum development, teacher training, industry linkages, infrastructure support, and exchange of best practices. It also envisions a lead role for the private sector—to bring agility, scale, and innovation to the table.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

TVET is not just for first jobs. It is for lifelong learning. It prepares individuals to adapt, compete, and thrive in a dynamic global market. It builds resilience and readiness. It builds nations.

Let me end by reaffirming that the youth are the hope of our future. And when we give that hope knowledge, tools, and opportunity, when we invest in their dreams, we secure a future that is not only shared, but stronger.

Thank you and xiè xiè.