Digital Trade Academy Launched to Support Pakistan’s Tech Workforce
— April 15, 2025
BEIJING (AIA) A new chapter in China–Pakistan educational cooperation began on Tuesday with the signing of the Digital Trade Silk Road Academy Agreement.
Five institutions — Zhejiang Technical Institute of Economics (Hangzhou), Zhung Lan Trading Company (Lahore), Punjab Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA, Lahore), Government Technical Training Institute Gulberg (Lahore), and ITMC Technology (Beijing) — have joined hands to strengthen technical and vocational training in Pakistan’s growing digital economy.
The educational initiative builds on existing economic collaboration between the two nations, with Chinese expertise in e-commerce and digital trade helping to modernise Pakistan’s technical education system.
China has remained the world’s largest online retail market for 12 consecutive years, with e-commerce consumption serving as a new growth engine. In 2024, China’s online retail sales rose by 7.2%, while the Silk Road E-commerce initiative expanded its partner network to 33 countries, creating new avenues for global cooperation.
By sharing China’s latest advancements in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and international educational resources, the initiative will lead to the development of Centres of Excellence for Digital Skills in Pakistan — enhancing both vocational training and technical education.
The Digital Trade Silk Road Academy will operate under TEVTA at the Government Technical Training Institute Gulberg, Lahore, initially offering programmes in cross-border e-commerce, with plans to expand into modern logistics and other e-commerce disciplines.
This collaboration directly supports the Digital Pakistan strategy, which emphasises equipping the youth with market-relevant digital skills to meet modern workforce demands.