Pic story: Pakistani student studying plant nutrition science in China

Abdul Ghaffar Shar collects soil samples at a cherry plantation of Yangling agricultural hi-tech industrial demonstration zone in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 17, 2021. Abdul Ghaffar Shar, 30, is a Pakistani doctoral student in China's Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University (NWAFU). Shar is doing plant nutrition research for his doctoral degree. After receiving his bachelor's degree in agriculture from Sindh Agriculture University in Pakistan in 2014, Shar decided to further his studies in China's NWAFU. Shar has learned to speak Mandarin and use chopsticks. He also adapted himself to Chinese food. In order to make more friends, Shar adopted a Chinese name "Jin Letian", which means "golden, happiness and sky." In Shar's opinion, Pakistan is a traditional agricultural country and farmers use many chemical fertilizers in the fields, which has a negative impact on soil fertility and the environment. "I study to improve soil fertility by adjusting trace elements of farmlands, which will help increase grain yields in my hometown," he said. In the past seven years, Shar collected research samples extensively from around the experiment stations in Shaanxi, which also gave him an opportunity to witness the development of China's rural areas. Shar says he wants to be an "envoy" between China and Pakistan as the two countries deepen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. "I hope I can play a role in strengthening the exchange of agricultural technology between the two countries under the initiative," said Shar. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)