My name is Shahzad Ahmed (Meng Long) and I am from Pakistan. I graduated from SRS in 2020, now I am serving in Prime Minister's Office.

I welcome all the new entrants and extend very warm gratitude for considering Silk Road School, Renmin University of China as your new learning destination. My focused audience for this write-up is my international friends from all around the world. I understand, today is a time, when we need to work together in a more effective way to accomplish new positive developments occurring in international political economy.

My two years extensive learning experience at SRS ended in 2020 and it was full of adventures. Living and discovering China will give you an immense experience to reshape your life and working style and its effects last long in your personality. There are number of occasions, when, you will feel inspired to develop your personal capacity and get innovative ideas to reshape your future strategies. Besides regular learning at the campus, exploring the Chinese mainland was full of excitement. Generally, regular campus and dorms routine comprises on interactions with intellectuals, gossips with international and Chinese friends, playing, eating, cooking, parties, and sometimes blind dating as well J... The most interesting exploration in all the places I visited was obviously meaningless hanging through the streets to deeply enjoy the stay and learning about Chinese culture, society and food as well. I visited around six provinces & thirty cities mainly includes Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing,,Sanya, Chengdu, Urumqi, Wuhan, hangzhou and Yinchuan, however, I liked Suzhou, and Sanya, very much.

Before visiting China, my impression about the country was a kind of mixed thoughts. The common opinions orbiting around the mind like every expatriate were obviously, a factory of the world, having biggest population with more or less similar faces. However, on a serious note, I was eager to learn more about China’s ever increasing economic & political success on world screen, its rapid infrastructural development and especially, the logic behind construction of world’s largest infrastructure project i.e. “The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st century Maritime Silk Road widely known as Belt and Road Initiative.No doubt, connectivity is vital for advancing this cooperation and I am confident that with the passage of time, the things will go beyond geographical distances and embark a path of win-win cooperation. Of course, Infrastructure is the bedrock of connectivity, while the lack of infrastructure has held up the development of many countries, including mine as well.

My post study motivation persuaded me to achieve even higher degrees in the field where in I can help out my countryby adopting innovative and meaningfulapproach.I observed China is a country of great ambitions and innovation. In its shift from a manufacturing to technological hub, it is now a global hotspot for the creation and support of world changing ideas. The rise of artificial intelligence is just one example of how our world is set to change soon and China is at the forefront of that change. During my study period at SRS, I did extensive research on AI developments and its implications on our modern way of life. Chinese companies have the ability and resources to directly compete with western giants such as Meta. Alphabet and Apple in the race for advanced AI development. Thus, an opportunity to study in China will allow you to be at the center of technological innovation.

Although, Silk Road School (SRS) has been established exclusively to promote China’s Belt and Road Initiative; however, the institute also offered us a comprehensive set of courses to introduce Chinese Economy, Politics, Governance, international cooperation, ecommerce, big data, AI, culture and history etc. During study program, extracurricular activities mainly include travelling to various parts of Chinese mainland, mega companies, experiencing of delicious cuisine and learning about China through exclusive Chinese characteristics.

Presently, I am back to my country and serving in Prime Minister's Office, Federal Board of Investment of Pakistan as a Desk Officer for Foreign Investments. My employer is country’s apex agency to deal with Foreign Direct Investments into Pakistan. Currently, China and Pakistan are working on many big projects having worth of more than 100 billion USD in total. I, being a young official has been experiencing and used-to with such developments, hence, learning through Chinese experiences played a very important role for understanding and taking these developments on peak in future.As far as Pakistan business priorities are concerned, it is evident that Pakistan’s strategy for the future business is also being considered by bearing in mindthe importance of Belt and Road Initiative/China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Special Economic Zones (being developed under CPEC), which will ultimately connect it to the rest of the world. As far as facilitation to Chinese Enterprises are concerned, various Chinese dignitaries and high level officials frequently visits Pakistan to further opening up the new horizons for future cooperation and speedy materialization of existing projects between the two countries. Pakistan’s current government is focusing much on automation, economic reforms and modern initiatives to make business environment friendly and conducive for international investors.

I would suggest international students to apprehend the importance of China, who carry biggest population of the world, 3rdlargest area,retainsstate of the art technology anddigital tools to produce economical products. If one intends to learn the logic behind China’s success and to make his future in Chines mainland, I would definitely suggest, he/she must learn language first to explore China as much as possible. You will find very sweet Chinese language teachers at the campus. Chinese people are very peaceful, down to earth and always like to help. I admire their business ideas and especially materialization of world’s biggest E-commerce industry. I still miss very much my Taobao’s parcels快递.

I WISH ALL OF YOU A GREAT SUCCESS IN FUTURE ENDAVOURSOR.