China has been chosen as a partner for this project because it has a very extensive and modern technical education infrastructure which has developed rapidly and has supported the high economic growth rate in China over a number of years. This is a target which Pakistan is also aspiring to achieve. Further, China is also Pakistan's long-standing and most consistent ally, and is committed to helping Pakistan with the UESTP programme. It may be noted that China has been transformed from a largely agriculture-based economy into an industrial superpower in just the last two decades. Although 49% of its population still works in agriculture today, only 13% of its GDP arises from agriculture. Strengthening the cooperation between teaching, research and production, the schools of higher learning in China are speeding up the transformation of research results into products. This is giving rise to many important innovations and high-technology enterprises. The last 25 years have seen a 15-fold increase in the number of people enrolled in higher education in China. The contribution made by scientific research within the higher-education sector to China's economic reconstruction and social development is becoming more and more evident. Many aspects of the Chinese model, such as the transfer of resources towards building the infrastructure for modern industry, can be a catalyst for a modern-day 'Industrial Revolution' and can be applied in the Pakistani context.

Thus, the model of Chinese technical higher education is worth emulating and provides an excellent model for Pakistan. The UESTP programme will be beneficial both to Pakistan and to China; because of its proximity to Pakistan, there may be an incentive for Chinese industry to expand into Pakistan and take advantage of a pool of engineers educated to Chinese standards. Pakistan will benefit from the high standards of education, and the investment from Chinese industry which will create jobs and contribute towards the economy of Pakistan. Chinese industry will in turn benefit from the favourable terms offered by the Pakistan Government to investors in high-technology R&D in Pakistan.