Having traveled thousands of kilometers from Punjab Province in Pakistan to pursue PhDs in agronomy at Shihezi University in Xinjiang, Gulfram Yousaf and Muhammad Zishan hope to help more of their country's cotton farmers raise production efficiency.
Punjab is a major agricultural region of Pakistan where cotton and wheat are widely grown. Their parents run small businesses and also farm.
'My hometown is deeply tied to agriculture,' Muhammad said. As an undergraduate in Pakistan he chose agronomy out of interest, hoping to help his parents and hometown people increase their incomes.
Xinjiang is one of China's key cotton-producing regions and has made rapid progress in cotton breeding, mechanized harvesting and green cultivation in recent years. That is why, a few years ago, Muhammad and Gulfram both set their sights on China and decided to pursue further studies at Shihezi University.
When they first arrived in Shihezi, language was a hurdle. To integrate into campus life quickly, they learned Chinese from scratch, actively talking with Chinese classmates every day to grow familiar with the language and environment.
'It is different from my hometown, but we also share similarities in food and other aspects. Everything is good,' Gulfram said. Whenever he can, he tells friends back home about his experiences in China — studying agriculture at Shihezi and experiencing Chinese culture — and encourages more young people to study in China.
Muhammad sees Shihezi University's strengths in cotton research as a key attraction. 'Doing research here will help me find better development opportunities,' he said. He is now conducting research on drone pesticide spraying and pest control, hoping to raise agricultural productivity through technology.
Shihezi University began enrolling international students in 2002 and has hosted more than 1,880 students from 41 countries. Currently over 600 international students from 34 countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia, Uzbekistan and Canada are studying there.
In recent years more and more Pakistani youth have turned their eyes to Xinjiang and chosen Shihezi University. 'Many new international students don't know how to apply, how to shop, or how to communicate with teachers. We do our best to help them,' Gulfram said.
With the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor advancing, exchanges in trade, education and technology between the two countries are deepening. The growing capacity of the Khunjerab Pass on the border has made travel much easier, they noted.
Xinjiang has become their 'second hometown'. When returning to Pakistan on holidays, Muhammad misses his study and life in China and looks forward to returning to campus.
Exchanges bring the two peoples closer, Muhammad said, and let more young people see a future of common development.
