Sher Jan is the youngest of six children, but the 25-year-old Pakistani is expected to be the family breadwinner after graduating from the Confucius Institute in Islamabad next year.

"I want to be an interpreter. I speak Mandarin, Urdu and English, so I can work for Chinese companies in Pakistan," Sher said, confident despite an unemployment rate that is one of the top domestic concerns in the country.

Coming from the Hunza region in northern Pakistan, Sher saw many Chinese people working in his hometown when he was a boy.

"I like Chinese food, especially dumplings. I saw those Chinese in my hometown celebrating their traditional festivals, which are very interesting. All of that made me have a strong interest in China," he said.

Sher is one of 200 students who attend the Islamabad Confucius School.

Established in 2005 at the National University of Modern Languages, the school was not only the first Chinese institute in Pakistan, but also the earliest one among all Islamic states.

"The strong interest in Chinese language and culture from Pakistan, especially from the young generation, has far exceeded the supply of our education services," said Zhang Daojian, vice-president of Confucius Institute in Islamabad.

The institute is planning to make Mandarin classes available for all students at National University of Modern Languages. More than 10 local schools are seeking partnerships with the institute.

When Zhang first came to Islamabad in 2012, only two teachers and one Chinese volunteer were working at the school.

Now the team has expanded to 11 teachers.

"The traditional friendship between China and Pakistan has a strong influence on Chinese cultural communication here.

"And the increasing business cooperation between the two countries, particularly the building of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, will create more jobs for local communities.

"A better understanding about China means a better life for them in the future," Zhang added.

zhaoyanrong@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/22/2015 page3)