Researchers, key players from the research community and business community, as well as ambassadors from OIC member states with embassies in Islamabad, attended the event.
In order to strengthen academic and research collaborations between the People’s Republic of China and the OIC member states, a high-level delegation of Chinese scientists and industrialists visited the COMSTECH secretariat on Thursday. The goal of Sino-COMSTECH initiative was to promote cooperation for research and development in the areas of natural products, biotechnology, public health, and traditional medicine.
The delegation was made up of top executives from traditional medicine-related industries. Virtual participants from a number of OIC member states also participated in the discussions.
Several OIC member states, including Pakistan, Iran, and Indonesia, have already begun their own individual studies of traditional medicines. In order to strengthen cooperation in the healthcare sector, COMSTECH hopes to act as a liaison between Chinese institutions and OIC member states through this partnership.
A series of important talks on the topic were given by scientists and representatives of the Chinese pharmaceutical industries as part of this dialogue, which was organised by COMSTECH to strengthen this collaboration and improve networking.
Researchers, key players from the research community and business community, as well as ambassadors from OIC member states with embassies in Islamabad, attended the event. Aspects of collaboration such as the establishment of joint labs, scholar exchange programmes for OIC member states, and product-based research were also covered.
Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, the Coordinator General of COMSTECH, gave a thorough explanation of the programmes and initiatives of COMTECH, as well as its scope and potential for collaboration, to the delegation.
He investigated the possibilities for Sino-COMSTECH cooperation in the development of traditional medicine, public health, biotechnology, and natural products in OIC member states. Prof. Choudhary gave the delegation a briefing on the different forms of institutional cooperation, capacity building, and the creation of research labs and clinics for traditional Chinese medicine.
Prof. Dr. Aiguo Dai, president of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, declared that this meeting will advance the exchange of traditional medical knowledge between our institution and nations participating in the “Belt and Road Initiative.”
He claimed that there has always been goodwill between China and the Islamic world. According to Prof. Dai, China places a high value on friendly relations with Islamic nations and sees the OIC as a vital link in its efforts to collaborate with them.
Mr. Yin Shengxin, the science attaché at the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad, praised the Sino-COMSTECH initiative. He claimed that encouraging cooperation is best demonstrated by the work of Professor Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary. He reaffirmed the Sino-Pak friendship’s long history. According to Mr. Shengxin, traditional Chinese medicine heals illnesses and promotes public health.
According to Dr. Asima Rabbani, Director General (EC & OIC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China has a long history of traditional medicine that dates back more than two thousand years.
She asserted that the Sino-COMSTECH initiative is an important step in fostering cooperation between China and OIC states by enhancing cooperation in traditional medicine and related biomedical sciences in OIC nations. According to Ms. Rabbani, COMSTECH was crucial to the growth and promotion of institutional ties in the area of science and technology.
The Sino-COMSTECH collaboration initiative presents Pakistan with a significant opportunity to learn from the experiences of China and other OIC states and to develop strategies and policies that are particular to its own needs and priorities, claims Syed Farooq Bukhari, chairman of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association.
Additionally, speaking at the event were representatives from various Chinese pharmaceutical firms. During the networking session, members of the Chinese delegation spoke with and exchanged ideas with scientists and subject-matter experts.