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The China-Pakistan High-level Webinar on Development of Earth Sciences was held by the China-Pakistan Joint Research Center on Earth Sciences (CPJRC) on March 18. Zhang Yaping, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), attended the opening ceremony of the meeting and delivered a speech on behalf of the CAS. The opening ceremony was presided over by Qasim Jan, former President of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences.

In his speech, Zhang Yaping hoped that the two countries could reach consensus through this meeting and formulate scientific and research cooperation plans for the important scientific issues arising during the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, so as to better guarantee the high-quality construction of the Corridor. He also pointed out that the CPJRC has received wide attention and support from relevant departments of the two countries since its preparation for establishment, and is now making smooth progress through the joint efforts of both countries. CAS hopes to further strengthen cooperation with relevant departments of both countries, so as to overcome difficulties and challenges related with the epidemic, etc., and build CPJRC into a first-class research center.

Afterwards, relevant personnel delivered speeches successively, including Nong Rong, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Ruan Xiangping (bureau level), Level I Inspector of the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Tariq Banuri, Director of the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, Jehanzeb Khan, Deputy Chairman of the Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, Arshad Mahmood, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and Muhammad Ali, President of Quaid-i-Azam University, expressing their positive comments and support for CPJRC.

In November 2018, under the joint witness of the leaders of China and Pakistan, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan entered into the memorandum of understanding on the joint construction of CPJRC in Beijing, aiming to solve the problems related with the natural disasters, climate change and deterioration of the ecological environment along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, to carry out systematic research on earth sciences, and to provide support over scientific decision-making and engineering technology for the construction of the corridor as well as scientific and technological support for the sustainable development of the region.

With the theme of "Sustainable Development of CPEC: Vision for China-Pakistan Science and Technology Cooperation in Earth Sciences", this meeting is the first high-level academic forum held by CPJRC since its establishment. At the year of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, CPJRC will take this forum as an opportunity to start the two countries' new cooperation on earth sciences. The meeting was held both online and offline, with offline venues set up respectively in Beijing and Islamabad, Pakistan. More than 10 well-known experts in related fields from both countries were invited to the meeting to make academic reports, so as to comprehensively review the two countries' cooperation on earth sciences, and exchange their views on the urgent scientific issues arising during the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). After this meeting, CPJRC will hold another 4 seminars to further enhance the mutual understanding between the scientific research teams of the two countries and continue to improve the scientific research plans and training plans in various fields.

Opening ceremony of the webinar

Prof. Zhang Yaping attended the opening ceremony of the meeting

Group photo