CCLS Corporate Dinner: Promoting Industry-Academia Linkages between China and Pakistan

The Centre for Chinese Legal Studies (CCLS) at LUMS hosted a corporate dinner on June 28, bringing together senior executives from the corporate sector to discuss critical issues and explore areas of partnership that contribute to research, training, and entrepreneurial activities. CCLS is actively pursuing corporate linkages to navigate impactful areas that enhance cross-cultural understanding, promote research and development initiatives, and foster sustainable development through its platform. The event saw participation from key representatives in the chemical, textile, steel manufacturing, and telecommunications industries, among other corporate sectors, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The evening unfolded with discussions that spanned a broad spectrum of topics, delving into several key themes crucial for mutual growth and cooperation for China and Pakistan. Participants focused on ways to bring cutting-edge technological advancements to Pakistan, robust capacity-building efforts, and the progressing of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC-II) project amidst political and security challenges. They also brought attention to the need for stronger industry-academia links and improved bilateral business relations.

Mr. Chen Qiangxi, President of the Chinese Business Council, attended the event alongside other representatives of the Chinese community in Pakistan. Mr. Qiangxi recognized that CCLS is a crucial platform for fostering collaborations and strategic partnerships between academia, industry, and the Chinese business community. He expressed readiness to partner with CCLS to achieve shared objectives, emphasizing the need to strengthen inter-sectoral connections for sustainable growth and enhanced bilateral relations.

Mr. Ahmed Jaudet, CEO at Sapphire Group, emphasized the need to bridge gaps between various sectors by focusing on upcoming technologies in Pakistan for the next decade. He advocated for prioritizing technological advancements, followed by capacity-building and cross-sector collaborations to align with global trends and remain competitive. Mr. Shahid Alvi, Director of Human Resources at Haier-Ruba Pakistan, highlighted the importance of environmental sustainability in business practices and the role of cultural cohesion in attracting new Chinese investors and promoting long-term growth.

Furthermore, Col. Azam Tareen, Managing Director at Superior Links, underlined the need to synchronize the business systems of Pakistan and China to improve business-to-business (B2B) interactions. The discussion stressed the importance of understanding each other's business environments and conducting studies to analyze trade potential, noting that the significant potential in Pakistani markets that remains untapped due to a lack of information and security issues. Mr. Ashraf Rana, Director of SMT Steel Industries, pointed out the missing link between industry and academia, noting that Pakistani graduates lack the necessary skills for technological and manufacturing roles. He urged for closer collaboration between the two sectors to ensure that graduates are well-equipped with the skills and knowledge required to meet the challenges of the job market.

The event was attended by various other notable guests including LUMS alumnus (BSc 2014) Mr. Hamza Khalid, Vice President of the Pakistan-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) and Director of Ittefaq Group Industries; Mr. Nazir Hussain, Additional Foreign Secretary (R), Ministry of Foreign Affairs Government of Pakistan; Mr. Syed Mohsin, Former Chairman of TEVT; Mr. Khalid Chaudary, Managing Partner in KSA International Corporation; Mr. Zafar Iqbal, CEO, Sulfachem Industries; Farhan Zakir, Regional Director, Zong CMPak; Hassan Ali Regional Chief Technical Officer, Zong CMPak; and Brig. (R) Mansoor Saeed, CEO of Marvellous Business Solutions Ltd..

The CCLS corporate dinner at LUMS served as a pivotal platform for in-depth discussions on critical issues shaping Pakistan-China relations and navigating the future of its collaborations. Participants engaged in exploring potential collaborations between academia and the corporate sector to collectively tackle these challenges and enhance bilateral relations between Pakistan and China.