UMT-CPEC BRC Signs MoU with RDI, Chinese Government Think Tank
Tuesday, November 21 2017
UMT-CPEC Business and Research Center (BRC) signed an MoU for cooperation with RDI (Research and Development International), a think tank established by the government of People's Republic of China under Chinese Academy of Social Sciences headed by Dr Zhao Baige, a PhD from Cambridge University and Deputy Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee of National People's Congress.
This process started when Dr Haroon Rasheed, Director, CPEC-Business and Research Center, visited headquarter of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in July 2017 and initiated talks for cooperation as directed by Dr Hasan Sohaib Murad, Chairman, ILM Trust. In August 2017, a high level delegation from CASS headed by its president Dr Wang Weiguang (Member of National People’s Congress) and Dr Zhao Baige, Head of RDI, Member NPC and Deputy Chairman of Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, visited UMT to discuss the modes of cooperation and prospective outcomes. During this visit, the delegation was accompanied by staff from Consulate of People’s Republic of China in Lahore and had a great interaction with UMT faculty members. The delegation visited the UMT Campus and appreciated efforts made by UMT for capacity building of youth for expected wave of industrialization as an output of CPEC.
As a result of these exchanged visits and continuous follow up by both sides, an MoU signed by Dr Xiojun Zhu, Executive Director for International Cooperation, RDI and Dr Haroon Rasheed, Director CPEC Business and Research Center, UMT, for sharing of research, capacity building, joint events, joint research projects, advocacy efforts, sharing of experiences and development of policy for governments of both countries on November 17, 2017.
This cooperation is first of its kind between any Pakistani university and a Chinese government think tank for Belt and Road and CPEC initiatives. It will provide access for scholars, researchers, faculty and students to various projects of Chinese government on BRI and CPEC.