Pakistani ambassador seeks expanded China cooperation in culture, education and investment

"Silk Road Elegance: Two Nations, One Runway," a fashion show featuring Chinese and Pakistani designs, was held Oct. 19, 2025, at the Badaling Great Wall in Beijing. The event aimed to showcase the fashion artistry of both countries and strengthen cultural exchanges between the two nations.

Models walk the runway to showcase outfits at Pakistan-China Fashion Show in Beijing, capital of China, on Oct. 19, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Xu Jingwen)

After the show, Khalil Hashmi, Pakistani ambassador to China, spoke with People's Daily Online. He expressed hope that China and Pakistan would further deepen their long-standing friendship and use this bond as a foundation to expand bilateral cooperation across more sectors in the future.

Khalil Hashmi, Pakistani ambassador to China, speaks with People's Daily Online in Beijing, Oct. 19, 2025. (People's Daily Online/ Xu Jingwen)

As an iconic symbol of traditional Chinese culture, the Great Wall has drawn visitors from around the world and fostered mutual understanding between China and other nations. "I would say the Great Wall is one of the world's greatest wonders, and it has been astoundingly preserved by the Chinese government," he said.

For Hashmi, the Great Wall's significance extends beyond tourism. "In some ways, we are seeking to blend traditional cultures with modern styles," he said, adding that "by jointly organizing engaging cultural events such as fashion shows, we can make traditional cultures more accessible to the younger generation."

This is not a one-off initiative. Hashmi revealed that more diverse cultural exchange activities will be launched to deepen mutual understanding between the two nations.

"We plan to organize food and music festivals across multiple Chinese provinces, and will collaborate with Chinese artists to produce films and documentaries to showcase the long-standing China-Pakistan partnership," he added.

In Hashmi's view, cultural events like fashion shows hold significant commercial potential. "They require investment to develop innovative designs and rely on a broad consumer market for product sales," he explained.

While culture is a core pillar, Hashmi emphasized that Pakistan is ready to deepen cooperation in multiple fields, including investment, agriculture, education and cutting-edge technologies.

Education and agriculture are priority areas. "For instance, Pakistan aims to expand bilateral cooperation in education and agriculture by launching vocational education programs," he said.

He noted that China has a large pool of skilled agricultural professionals, while Pakistan is building more vocational schools. "We welcome Chinese professionals and students to Pakistan for academic exchanges and participation in vocational training programs," he added.

On investment and business, Hashmi recalled the second China-Pakistan B2B Investment Conference, held in Beijing last month, and praised its success.

"It was a highly successful business and investment event that demonstrated the enormous potential of China-Pakistan cooperation," he said, noting that "at the conference, enterprises from both countries signed cooperation agreements covering key sectors such as electric vehicles, solar energy, steel, and health care — a clear sign of our growing economic ties."

When discussing the future of China-Pakistan friendship, Hashmi noted with pride that the two countries have established an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.

"Our bilateral cooperation is underpinned by high-level strategic trust and mutual respect, which are core principles supporting the China-Pakistan partnership," he said.

With 2026 marking the 75th anniversary of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations, Hashmi shared a heartfelt wish for the years ahead: "Pakistan is a young country, and I sincerely hope that through diverse channels like music, food and films, the China-Pakistan partnership will be cherished and passed on to the younger generations of both nations."

The fashion show, co-hosted by the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing and the China International Cultural Communication Center, was attended by over 300 participants, including ambassadors of Argentina, Jordan, Bahrain, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and other countries to China, Chinese and Pakistani fashion figures, corporate representatives, and media representatives.