KARACHI: The scientists of Pakistan and China will promote collaborative research for producing high yielding and high quality rice varities.

To discuss research matters linked with the development of new varieties of high quality rice, a delegation of Chinese officials called on Pakistani scientists at the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, here on Monday.

Director General China National Rice Research Institute (CNRRI) of Hangzhou - China, Prof. Dr. Cheng Shihua, along with the six-member Chinese delegation visited the ICCBS-KU.

The delegation had a meeting with former federal minister for Science & Technology and ex-Chairman Higher Education Commission Pakistan, Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman and Director ICCBS Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary.

The meeting was held at the Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), University of Karachi.

The delegation, comprising Prof. Dr. Zhuang Jieyun, Prof. Dr. Wu Jianli, Prof. Dr. Wang Kejian, Dr. Luo Ju and Zheng Youchuan, visited different research facilities set up at the ICCBS.

In the meeting, Prof. Atta-ur-Rahman, Prof. Iqbal Choudhary, rice expert Dr. Fida Abbasi of Hazara University, and the Chinese officials underlined the importance of conducting research for developing new high yielding, disease resistant and high quality varieties of rice.

They resolved to promote further collaborative research between the scientists of two countries. They said that China has a reputation to be the largest producer of rice in the world, while Pakistan produced varieties of rice of high quality in the world.

The setting up of Sino-Pakistan Hybrid Rice Research Center is linked with the objective to mutually conduct research for the development of new high yielding and high quality rice, they said and added that the rice research center has two branches, one is in ICCBS-KU and another branch has been set up in China.

In the meeting, it was discussed that Chinese scientists will train scholars from ICCBS in the field of rice breeding and production of high quality hybrid rice seed.

The officials of both the institutions agreed to enhance relations between the two institutions and to develop academic exchange in the area of research.

The institution will focus on basic and applied research with priority for solving significant scientific and technical problems in rice production.

Later, the ICCBS arranged a seminar in which five presentations of Chinese and Pakistani scientists were presented.