By Hifsa Raja ISLAMABAD, May 20 (INP-WealthPK): The Pakistan-China Joint Working Group (JWG) on Science and Technology under the Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) of CPEC will provide support to the Special Technology Zone Authority (STZA) in developing special technology zones throughout Pakistan. Talking about the development which took place in April, Arif Rehman, Chief of Science and Technology at the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, told WealthPK that China possessed a broad array of technologies, including medical technology and industrial technology, among others. “Chinese technique is environment-friendly, uses less energy to produce the same amount of output, and has a higher output-to-input-ratio.” He added that Pakistan suffered from an absence of energy-efficient technology, which contributed to the country's low productivity. “There is room for quality improvement in both the amount of energy used and the output.” Arif Rehman said China is also expected to support Pakistan in the rapidly developing fields of nanotechnology and avionics technology. Through cooperation with China in technology, Pakistan will be able to employ the Chinese marginal generation technology to provide power, particularly in Balochistan and other far-flung locations, where off-grid solutions are necessary, he said. The ministry official said that Pakistan was able to strengthen its tele-learning programme, which was started during the Covid-19 pandemic in collaboration with China in the fields of science and technology. It is to mention here that China's Zhongguancun Belt and Road Industrial Promotion Association and STZA have inked an agreement for the exchange of high-quality research and technology for the purpose of technology transfer and industrial collaboration. China Association for Science and Technology and Pakistan Science Foundation are also collaborating on STEM education programme, the China-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor, and human capital exchange for knowledge development and value addition in the sphere of science and technology. Science, technology and innovation is essential for Pakistan to be integrated more effectively with rest of the world, for which technological transfer has to be ensured. According to the Global China report, China is a major player in the global technological revolution. The way China has progressed technologically offers an experience for Pakistan. As part of Beijing's CPEC investment programme, China is facilitating the transfer of technology to Pakistan. The main objective of the nine Special Economic Zones (SEZs) being set up across Pakistan is technology transfer. China has included these SEZs in the CPEC investment programme for this reason. Through the development of the Special Economic Zone Management Information System, the government is taking technology transfer as the primary characteristic of SEZ entities. Despite the pandemic, China's industries remain robust and investment has continued to increase. China's overall economic development is stable with strong industries and stable market pricing. According to China's National Bureau of Statistics, the added value of industries above the designated size increased by 4% year on year in the first four months of 2022.