CHANGSHA, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese cardiologist Pan Xiangbin has been granted the Sitara-i-Pakistan award in recognition of his contributions to medical assistance in the country.

The award was conferred on Sunday by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province.

Pan, vice president of China's Fuwai Hospital under the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and his team conducted intensive training for about 200 local medical personnel in Pakistan in 2025 as part of a bilateral assistance project focused on congenital heart disease (CHD). That project marked the first-ever China-Pakistan technical collaboration in CHD treatment.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari's China trip runs from April 25 to May 1, and includes visits to Hunan Province and Hainan Province, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday. ■