A Pakistani PhD candidate from Zhejiang Gongshang University addressed the 17th West Lake Public Relations Roundtable in Hangzhou, joining young scholars and graduate students from Malaysia, Nigeria, and other countries in a dynamic dialogue on the role of youth in global governance and the transformative power of artificial intelligence in public relations.

The West Lake Public Relations Roundtable, first launched in 2010, has grown into one of China’s most influential public relations events, Gwadar Pro reported.

This year’s forum continued the tradition of fostering international dialogue, with a special focus on how emerging technologies can enhance rather than hinder meaningful cross-cultural understanding.

Under the theme “Global Governance · Youth Responsibility: The Mission and Practice of Public Relations in the AI Era,” the annual forum brought together government officials, diplomats, academics, business leaders, and youth representatives from around the world to explore new pathways for cross-cultural communication and public relations in the age of artificial intelligence.

Mashood Nishat’s participation reflects the growing presence of Pakistani students in China’s academic and diplomatic spaces.

As bilateral ties between Pakistan and China continue to deepen across education, technology and people-to-people exchanges, voices like his represent a new generation of bridge-builders committed to mutual understanding and shared progress.

Speaking from the perspective of Pakistani social reality, Mashood Nishat highlighted that Pakistan is a young and highly diverse country with different languages, cultures, traditions and social backgrounds.

He explained that “this diversity creates both opportunities and challenges for communication, particularly when different communities and countries try to understand each other.”

Drawing on his research and living experience, Mashood Nishat discusses how AI can be a powerful tool for cross-cultural communication.

Beyond translation, AI can help young people access information from different cultures, understand diverse perspectives, communicate across language barriers, and share their own cultural stories with a global audience, he noted.

However, he also struck a note of caution: “AI should be used responsibly, because cultural misunderstandings, misinformation and algorithmic bias can also create new barriers between communities.”

Another central theme of Mashood’s remarks was the role of Chinese and international youth in global governance.

He argued that young people should not be seen merely as future players, but as already active stakeholders in addressing global challenges.

For him personally, participating in this dialogue as a Pakistani international student and researcher in China was an opportunity to share a Pakistani perspective while also learning from international youth.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China