From April 21^stto 23^rd, at the invitation of Dr. Yasar Ayaz, Director of the National Center for Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) of Pakistan, Professor Ge Shirong, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and former president of China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing, led a delegation to visit the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Pakistan, and the NCAI. During the visit, the two universities signed a cooperation agreement for the joint establishment of the "China-Pakistan Smart Mining Innovation Center," aiming to empower mining development in Pakistan and become an important component and innovative support for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CEPC), a flagship project of China's Belt and Road Initiative.

Dr. Yasar Ayaz presented and demonstrated to Academician Ge and his delegation the vision, mission, and ongoing projects such as smart security, smart cities, and smart healthcare created by the NCAI.

General/Dr. Saeed Ur Rehman Sarwar, Vice Chancellor of NUST, met with Academician Ge and his delegation on behalf of the university. He recalled his study experience at Beihang University in Beijing and conducted in-depth discussions with Academician Ge and his delegation on enhancing the safety and efficiency of China-Pakistan energy and mining projects through technological cooperation, reaching broad consensus.

Academician Ge, General/Dr. Saeed Ur Rehman Sarwar, Mr. Yin Shengxin, Scientific and Technological Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan, Dr. Sahar Nadeem Hamid, Director of International Cooperation at NUST, Captain Shahid Akbar Satti, Project Execution Director, jointly participated in the signing ceremony for the joint establishment of the "China-Pakistan Smart Mining Innovation Center" between China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing, and NUST. Professor Yang Kehu, Dean of the School of Artificial Intelligence at China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing, and Dr. Yasar Ayaz, Director of the NCAI, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective universities.

After the signing ceremony, Academician Ge delivered an academic report titled "Development of Smart Mining Technology in China" and engaged in exchanges and discussions with relevant experts and scholars from NUST on smart mining technology commercialization, technical team building, and future development directions, determining the execution team and the next steps of the work plan.

From April 17^thto 19^th, the delegation also traveled to Lahore, the second-largest city in Pakistan, to participate in the 4^thPakistan Health, Engineering, and Mining Exhibition (HEMS), conducting in-depth research on the current status and future trends of mining development in Pakistan. They had in-depth exchanges with relevant responsible persons from the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) and Mohmand Dada Minerals, discussing technical cooperation on smart mining between the two countries. On the 20^th, the delegation inspected the Khewra Salt Mine, the world's second-largest salt mine owned by the PMDC Group with a mining history of nearly 200 years, learning about its development history, mining techniques, and equipment changes.

Professor Yang Kehu, Dean of the School of Artificial Intelligence at China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing, and Associate Professor Yang Jianjian, Deputy Dean of the School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, accompanied the visit, with Chang Feng, Vice President of the Shandong Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, joining the delegation.