ISLAMABAD: With an aim to take advantage of Chinese technology, a memorandum-signing ceremony took place on Wednesday between Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) and Shenzhen University (SZU), to establish the Shenzen-Pakistan Open Innovation Lab (Spoil).

Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said, “The joint venture will lay a solid foundation for the development and application of the internet of things for the construction of the ‘Belt and Road’ in China and Pakistan.”

“For this purpose, we wish to establish a Shenzhen-Pakistan Open Innovation Lab (Spoil), under PEC in collaboration with Shenzhen University, Trioca Ventures along with the NED University, Buitems, Karakorum International University, Virtual University, UET Lahore and Peshawar,” he said.

China and Pakistan are cooperating in many fields, he said, adding, Shenzhen University is China’s top facility.

At the ceremony, participants learnt that PEC being the statutory body for regulating the field of engineering is functioning as a key driving force towards achieving rapid and sustainable growth in all national, economic and social fields.

The council has played a progressive role through achievements in all directions of the engineering sector at the national and international levels, besides extending expert support to the government as a think tank in almost all sectors.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a transcontinental long-term policy and investment programme aimed at infrastructure development and acceleration of the economic integration of countries along the route of the historic Silk Road. The initiative was unveiled in 2013 by China’s President Xi Jinping.

The initiative shows serious steps the prime minister has taken towards reforms, he said, adding Pakistanis will get vaccinated for free against coronavirus while vaccination of people over the age of 60 is already underway.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2021