Chinese scientist Liu Xinmin was honored with the Tamgha-i-Quaid-e-Azam award on Aug14 during a ceremony commemorating Pakistan's 78th Independence Day.

The Tamgha-i-Quaid-e-Azam is the highest civilian accolade for foreign experts, a distinction established by the Pakistani government to recognize individuals who have made exceptional contributions to international scientific and technological collaboration with Pakistan.

Liu, who is a professor and chief scientist at the Institute of New Drug Technologies at Ningbo University and co-director of the Sino-Pakistani Cooperation Centre on Traditional Chinese Medicine (SPCCTCM), was bestowed with this national honor in appreciation of his pivotal role in advancing Sino-Pakistani cooperation in the realm of traditional medicine.

Liu led the establishment of the SPCCTCM, the first national-level center of its kind in Pakistan. The center has effectively facilitated collaboration among more than 30 Chinese and Pakistani enterprises involved in research and development, education, and production of traditional Chinese and Unani medicine products.

China and Pakistan regularly engage in personnel exchanges, conferences, and seminars focused on traditional medicine, with a particular emphasis on nurturing young talents, including doctoral candidates and postdoctoral fellows. This concerted effort has played a crucial role in enabling Pakistan to cultivate a cohort of promising young professionals in the field of traditional medicine research and development.