ISLAMABAD: China and Pakistan have signed five new agreements to advance joint efforts in disaster prevention through the China-Pakistan Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Smart Disaster Prevention of Major Infrastructures.
The agreements, signed on September 19, were established between Southeast University, China, and five prominent Pakistani institutions, marking a new chapter in collaborative research and development in disaster risk management and infrastructure resilience.
The Pakistani institutions involved include Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Lahore, and UET Peshawar.
These agreements aim to expand research in areas such as earthquake engineering, structural health monitoring, and disaster risk reduction technologies. This collaboration is expected to provide a solid framework for future projects, including the establishment of new research and development facilities in Pakistan.
Both sides emphasized the importance of policy support from their respective governments and disaster management authorities to ensure the success of the joint laboratory. The agreements also laid out plans for talent exchange programs and the joint development of international standards for disaster prevention technologies.
