Pakistanis in China consist largely of temporary residents, including international students and cross-border traders.
[4] The desire to attract Pakistani students was a major driver behind the university's decision to move away from using Chinese as their medium of instruction, even though it has proven challenging for the professors there.
[8] Due to the liberalisation of foreign exchange controls on renminbi in border areas, Kashgar, which is closer to Pakistan than other major cities of Xinjiang, was a popular destination for Pakistani traders as early as the 1990s.
[9] In accordance with a 1985 protocol agreement, the Khunjerab Pass border crossing between Pakistan and China on the Karakorum Highway closes between January and April.
[12] In the past, Uyghurs were able to benefit economically by playing an intermediary role for Pakistani traders who came to Xinjiang, selling them goods shipped north from Guangdong where they were produced, or providing transport services; however, since the early 2000s, Pakistani traders have tended to go directly to Guangdong to purchase goods, and Han Chinese-owned trucking firms have taken over much of the land cargo market in Xinjiang.