PR94135

SHANGHAI, Jan. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

Shanghai Electric has partnered with Confucius Institute at the University of

Karachi (CIUK) to launch a new education resource for the Pakistani personnel

of the Thar Block-1 Integrated Coal Mine and Power Project and surrounding

communities, as part of a joint initiative to uplift the skill set of project

employees and unlock better career prospects for the students from Pakistan's

southern Sindh province.

The initiative offers free access to Chinese lessons for Pakistani workers of

the projects and students from Islamkot and nearby towns and villages who will

receive free textbooks and other language-learning resources provided by the

teaching staff of CIUK. As of now, 40 workers and 60 students have been

enrolled in the first class.

"As a leading energy solution provider, Shanghai Electric recognizes its role

to educate and train the next generation of electrical engineers and

technicians, as well as help more students to launch their careers in the

energy industry. Our previous initiatives have seen the Thar Block-1 project

arranging on-board training sessions to help local workers to improve their

skills and inviting senior technicians to pass on their experience to newly

hired employees," said Meng Donghai, deputy manager of Shanghai Electric Power

Generation Engineering Company.

"Closer economic ties between China and Pakistan have created more business

opportunities for people from the two countries, and we hope the Chinese

language training program can equip local workers and students with a

meaningful skill as they advance towards their next career goals, as well as

serve as a window for connecting the two cultures, enhancing mutual

understanding and China-Pakistan friendship," Meng added.

"The Chinese language training program launched by Shanghai Electric will be

beneficial to the students in a remote area like Islamkot. It is a unique and

valuable educational opportunity that will allow them to learn more about

Chinese culture and find better jobs in the future," said Muhammad Nasiruddin

Khan, Pakistani director of the CIUK.

"I have gradually developed a great interest in learning Chinese while working

with Chinese employees in Thar Block-1 Integrated Coal Mine and Power Project.

I am very glad that Shanghai Electric can provide me with such an opportunity

to learn Chinese, which will give me better employment prospects in the future,

as there are a large number of China-Pakistani cooperation projects in

Pakistan. Being able to speak Chinese is a standout skill," said a student who

joined the program.

In 2017, Pakistan officially joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

(SCO), and strengthened China-Pakistan cooperation has made Chinese an

in-demand course for those who want to work for local Chinese companies. The

rise of Chinese language training programs in the country has helped fill the

communication gap between China and Pakistan, and also enabled more locals to

land their dream jobs.

In recent years, Shanghai Electric has helped Pakistan build numerous energy

infrastructure with industry-leading energy technologies through the Belt and

Road Initiative (BRI) and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The EPC

contract for the Thar Block-1 Integrated Coal Mine and Power Project, which

features two 660-megawatt coal-fired power plants and a coal mine with an

annual output of 7.8 million tons, was signed in April 2019. As a priority CPEC

project, the plants will optimize Pakistan's energy mix and significantly

increase the country's energy security.

Source: Shanghai Electric

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   Caption: Shanghai Electric has launched a Chinese language training program for

Pakistan's personnel on Thar Block-1 Integrated Coal Mine and Power Project.