China and Pakistan will establish a joint research center in October to promote the study of Earth sciences and sci-tech exchanges, an official in charge of the center’s preparatory work said during the 2023 China International Fair for Trade in Services, APP reported.

According to Hong Tianhua, "China-Pakistan Joint Research Center on Earth Sciences will be established in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, in October as a high-level platform for scientific and technological innovation between the two countries to promote sci-tech cooperation and talent cultivation."

"The center is being initiated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and is supported by the Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment under the CAS and Quaid-i-Azam University in Pakistan," according to Xinhua.

Its establishment also incorporates universities in Pakistan, including the University of Peshawar, CAS-affiliated institutes, and other Chinese research organizations.

The center will conduct a collaborative study in four areas: resources, environment, and green development; geological formations and tectonic activity; climate change and environmental effects.

The center will also act as a facilitator for Chinese and Pakistani businesses and institutions looking to invest in each other's innovations.

In order to assist the development of the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Hong stated, "We hope to build a high-level platform for sci-tech cooperation between the two countries, and gradually extend it to neighboring countries."