Cui Peng emphasized the vulnerability of CPEC areas to natural hazards and the fragility of their environment and ecosystem.
A collaborative scientific and technological innovation platform, the China-Pakistan Joint Research Center on Earth Sciences (CPJRC), was officially inaugurated at Quaid-i-Azam University. The center’s Director-General, Cui Peng, highlighted its mission to conduct joint research on the impact of geological disasters and climate change on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and local sustainable development.
Cui Peng emphasized the vulnerability of CPEC areas to natural hazards and the fragility of their environment and ecosystem. He noted that socio-economic development in these regions faces multiple challenges, affecting local resilience and sustainable growth. Addressing these challenges through research and supporting the sustainable development of CPEC is a shared objective for scientists from both nations.
Shahid Iqbal, Assistant Professor at the Earth Sciences Department of Quaid-i-Azam University, highlighted the opportunity for Pakistani academia and students to access modern research in the field of Earth Sciences from China.
The inauguration event drew a significant turnout of students, scholars, and officials from both China and Pakistan.
The CPJRC aims to foster scientific and technological cooperation in addressing climate-induced disasters and talent development. Serving as a national platform, the center will facilitate collaborative research in construction, environment, ecology, disaster reduction, and sustainable development between China and Pakistan.
Based on the Memorandum of Understanding between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan for the Establishment of China-Pakistan Joint Research Center on Earth Sciences, the China-Pakistan Joint Research Center on Earth Sciences (CPJRC) is a scientific research and talent education institution established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.
The research facility is housed in Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, and is hosted by the Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMHE, CAS).
In the area of earth sciences, CPJRC acts as a link and platform for collaboration in scientific research and teaching between China and Pakistan. In order to support the development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the platform for collaboration between China and Pakistan also addresses issues related to natural catastrophes, the ecological environment, resource development, and sustainable development.