ISLAMABAD: Chinese candidate for the position of Director General UNESCO, Qian Tang on Tuesday called on Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Balighur Rehman.
The meeting was facilitated by Chinese ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong. According to details, the minister congratulated Qian Tang, who is currently serving as UNESCO assistant director general, on his nomination for the top slot. Rehman also appreciated Tang’s support for education in Pakistan, especially his contribution to the regional centre for non-formal education and adult literacy in Pakistan. “Establishment of the first of its kind UNESCO centre for non-formal education would not only improve literacy and quality of education but also become a significant resource for the achievement of sustainable development goals,” he said. Qian Tang acknowledged Pakistan’s strategic importance in the region and its contribution to the One Belt One Road initiative. “China wants the UNESCO to be a useful platform for the achievement of global peace and sustainable development,” he said. Tang said that it was important that the issues of developing countries be effectively represented in UNESCO, and that these countries benefit from the resources available with the forum. Speaking on the occasion, Chinese ambassador Sun Weidong said that China and Pakistan were all-weather friends and strategic partners. “Both countries have enjoyed very close coordination and cooperation at regional and international forums,” he added. Weidong said that though CPEC, as a flagship project of One Belt One Road, is supporting development of road and energy infrastructure in the country, there was also a great scope for bilateral cooperation in trade, science and technology, human resource development, defence and counter-terrorism.
Published in Daily Times, August 9th 2017.
