An agreement on textile cooperation was jointly signed by National Textile University (NTU), Pakistan and Shanghai University of Engineering Science (SUES), China last week. According to SUES, NTU is the very first Pakistani partner for SUES, and the move is of great significance when it comes to the educational exchanges and cooperation between universities of South Asian countries involved into China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China Economic Net reported on Friday. Xia Jianguo, the President of SUES, noted that the signing ceremony was SUES’s first move of international cooperation ever since the COVID-19 outbreak. The iron-clad friendship between China and Pakistan has laid a solid foundation for the cooperation and exchanges between both universities. President Xia spoke highly of the competences and characteristics of research and talent training in NTU regarding textile. Over the years, SUES has conducted a wide range of international exchanges and cooperation with overseas universities and enterprises, he mentioned, adding that he firmly believed the cooperation would provide both with more opportunities for common development. Prof Dr. Tanveer Hussain, the Rector of NTU, expressed his heartfelt thanks to SUES for the arrangement and preparation for the video signing ceremony. He said NTU has been the premier institute of textile education in Pakistan, meeting the technical and managerial human resource needs of almost the entire textile industry of Pakistan ever since its inception. What is more, he expressed full confidence and keen expectation for a long-term cooperation between the two universities in multiple levels and fields. The signing ceremony was held in video form. Directors from SUES’s Office of International Cooperation and Exchange and the Institute of Textile and Garment were present.