The number of Pakistani students in China, seeking medical education (MBBS degree), reached over 1000. Mostly, students are registered in medical institutions in the Chinese major cities Urumqi, Xian, Tianjin and Zhengzou.
The students, after getting the degree equivalent to MBBS in China, have to qualify a medical examination, conducted by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC).
A large number of Pakistani students in China are acquiring higher education in other disciplines also including those studying on scholarships, provided by the Chinese government. They also receive financial support from the government of Pakistan on monthly basis.
The number of overseas students in China hit a record high of 110,844, of which 6,715 were sponsored by the Chinese government, the rest studying at their own expense, sources with the Chinese Ministry of Education said. According to the ministry statistics, the total number of overseas students increased by 42.63 percent over the previous year, and the number was the highest over the past ten years.
A MOE official said China had seen rapid progress in overseas students' education. As more and more countries had reached agreements with China on mutually recognising higher education degrees, more foreigners had chosen to study in China, largely because of its economic power and growing international influence.