ISLAMABAD, Feb 12: China will host 500 people from Pakistan over the next five years to help them understand its culture and further strengthen brotherly relations between the two countries, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Zhang Chunxing said on Monday.

He made these remarks during his farewell speech at a reception organised by the National University of Modern Languages (Numl) in recognition for his services for the promotion of relations between the two countries and for extending help in the establishment of Confucius Institute at the university.

Mr Chunxing said his country considered educational, cultural and youth exchange programmes as a key factor behind strong ties between the two nations.