ISLAMABAD (APP) - President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday called for the setting up of a telecom university, a telecom research and development centre and a plant to manufacture and assemble mobile handsets in the country. He said that the government would provide land for the telecom varsity in Haripur, where, the nucleus of telecom training facilities already existed and also offered facilities for establishing an R&D center in Islamabad and the mobile handsets manufacturing plant. Spokesperson to the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the call was made when a delegation of Chinese telecom conglomerate ZTE called on the President in the Presidency on Saturday. He said that the President appreciated the ZTEs role in the development of Pakistans telecommunication sector and said that Chinese companies had made significant contributions to Pakistans economy through direct investment. The President called upon ZTE to develop technical skills of the local labour force. The five-member delegation that called on the President was led by Luo Pingfan, Dy Chairman ZTE and also included Luo Zhaohui, Ambassador of China. M. Salman Faruqi, Secretary General to the President, Kamal Majidullah, Special Assistant to PM on Water Resources, Khalil Ahmad, Ambassador at Large and senior official of the foreign office also attended the meeting. The President said that Chinese investment and cooperation could help develop Pakistan as regional hub for manufacturing for which low cost labour force was available in Pakistan. He also called upon the ZTE to develop a research and development center in telecommunication and a plant for manufacture of mobile handsets in Pakistan. President Zardari said that he was keenly awaiting his visit to China later this month to further consolidate the relations between the two countries which he said was 'an important factor for peace and stability in the region and the world . The President underscored the importance of closer collaboration and coordination between Pakistan and China in view of complexities of regional and global situation. He said that Pakistan would continue to support China on all issues of national importance to it. The Chinese delegation thanked the President of Pakistan and the government for providing it necessary back up and support to carry out its investment plan in Pakistan.