Prof. YAO Tandong led a scientific delegation to Tajikistan in mid May, and visited the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan (ASRT) on May 17, 2010 on the invitation of its President Mamadsho Ilolov. This was on occasion of the scientific cooperation between ITP and Institute of Geology (IG, ASRT) within the framework of TPE program.

Prof. Yao introduced the TPE program to the President, elaborating on the purpose and status quo in carrying out Sino-Tajikistan joint study of “Tectonic transformation and environmental changes on the Pamir Plateau”, one of the international joint research projects financed by the TPE.

President Ilolov highly praised the initiation of scientists from both sides in joint study, approving the active participation of Pakistan scientists in the TPE program. He also hoped that the collaboration of ITP and IGASRT would be a good start, ushering in more such benign cooperation in scientific research between scientists from both nations.