CHANGSHA: A leading Chinese cardiologist, Pan Xiangbin, has been awarded the Sitara-e-Pakistan in recognition of his outstanding medical services in Pakistan.
President Asif Ali Zardari conferred the award during a ceremony held in Changsha, the capital of central China’s Hunan province.
Speaking at the event, the president highlighted that Pakistan and China share not only strong state-level and public ties but also a “heart-to-heart” relationship.
Dr. Pan, who serves as vice president of Fuwai Hospital under the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, along with his team, trained around 200 Pakistani medical professionals in 2025 under a bilateral assistance programme. The training focused on congenital heart disease (CHD), marking the first technical collaboration of its kind between the two countries in this field.
Officials said the Chinese team introduced advanced, radiation-free ultrasound-guided percutaneous intervention techniques. These methods eliminate the need for large-scale equipment and open surgery, while also reducing radiation exposure. The technology can also be deployed through mobile medical units to provide services in remote and rural areas.
A Sindh government official, Qasim Naveed Qamar, said Dr. Pan is widely respected in Pakistan and that the techniques introduced by the Chinese team would significantly enhance local medical capacity.
Dr. Pan said the award was not only a personal honor but also a recognition of Chinese medical teams and a reflection of the strong diplomatic ties between the two countries, especially as they mark the 75th anniversary of relations.
Pakistani officials noted that with China’s support and technology transfer, local healthcare providers will be better equipped to treat a larger number of children suffering from congenital heart disease.
China’s overseas medical assistance programme, spanning more than six decades, has benefited many developing countries. In recent years, China has intensified efforts to share advanced technologies and practices, contributing to a new model of global health cooperation.
Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said President Zardari’s visit to China, scheduled from April 25 to May 1, includes stops in Hunan and Hainan provinces.–Xinhua
