Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Sunday visited the Luban Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Exhibition Hall in Tianjin, where he was briefed on the operations of Luban Workshops and their existing cooperation with Pakistan.

Ishaq Dar also had exchanges with the Chinese hosts on further deepening cooperation under the Luban Framework, with a focus on scaling up joint efforts in technical and vocational education in new and emerging industries.

He emphasised that strengthening TVET collaboration between Pakistan and China was a vital step to create opportunities for sustainable economic growth, a Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement.

The DPM/FM further noted that this cooperation not only enhanced Pakistan’s human capital but also contributed to the broader Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.

During the visit, he also met with Pakistani students receiving training through the Luban initiative.

He held discussions with them on their learning experience and future prospects, underscoring the importance of equipping Pakistan’s youth with advanced technical skills to meet the evolving industrial needs.

Luban Workshops, established by Tianjin municipal authorities, have become a global model for sharing high-quality technical education.

Since 2016, 36 workshops have been set up in over 30 countries, promoting skills transfer, technological exchange and people-to-people connectivity.

In Pakistan, the Luban Workshop was inaugurated in 2018 in Lahore, providing training in areas such as mechanical engineering, automation and Information Technology.

Besides students in Pakistan, seven Pakistani students are currently undergoing Luban Training in China.