ISLAMABAD, Sep 29 (INP): Pakistan has emerged as World’s top recipient of Chinese scholarships, as currently there are 5081 Pakistanis students who are availing the opportunity in their relevant disciplines in different Chinese Universities. Statistics showed that the highest of number foreign students, studying in China on scholarships are from Pakistan. This record progress was witnessed during the last four years with the launching of China-Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC). This was also the result of vigorous efforts on the part of Chinese embassy in Islamabad. According to Ambassador Sun Weidong, who is going to complete his four-year diplomatic assignment in Pakistan next month, this reflects the growing socio-economic partnership and enhanced people-to-people contacts between the two countries. The tempo of relationship took a big turn following the visit of President Xi Jinping to Pakistan in April 2015. The two sides had entered into a number of agreements, taking their relationship to higher level. As per the statistics recorded at the end of 2016, currently 18626 Pakistani students are studying in China. In the recent years, the two sides also managed frequent visits and deepen cooperation in education sector. There was a remarkable increase in teachers and students level’s visits to China. Chinese embassy sent about 160 female teachers to China in the last two years. Wife of Chinese ambassador Diana Bao had been on the forefront in arranging the educational trips. Madame Bao once stated, serving the women of Pakistan was her passion and she was making all out efforts to promote the bilateral exchanges. It was noted that Ambassador Sun Weidong and his dedicated team worked day and night to share the Chinese achievements with the Pakistani brothers and sisters in the education sector. At the recent Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting, the two sides decided to further strengthen cooperation in the fields of education with vocational and technical training and promote deeper people-to-people understanding through cultural exchanges between think tanks, universities and media. The Chinese side proposed sending expert teams to Pakistan to conduct training workshops in industrial zones, for rural development, water resource management and treatment, and disaster management. They also decided that the China Foundation for Peace and Development will build a training center for senior talents in Quetta, and will also push for a leading university to cooperate with the University of Gwadar in oceanography. In the recent years, there was enhanced among the Universities of the two countries for bilateral cooperation. The Chinese government has also announced Silk Road educational fund under which Pakistani students can also apply in different universities for getting education on scholarships. The Chinese government was also encouraging its universities located in the provinces of Belt and Road initiative to sign educational cooperation agreements with different countries who are part of One Belt One Road (OBOR). INP/J/AH