Zardari to hold strategic talks with China
By Iftikhar A. Khan
Sunday, 21 Sep, 2008 | 07:22 PM PKT |
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari waves as he arrives at 10 Downing Street in London, on September 16, 2008, for a meeting with British Prime Minister Grodon Brown.
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari waves as he arrives at 10 Downing Street in London, on September 16, 2008, for a meeting with British Prime Minister Grodon Brown.
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ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari will hold strategic talks with the Chinese leadership during his forthcoming visit to the country next month, official sources told Dawn.
‘The exact dates of the visit are yet to be worked out but the visit will take place somewhere in the mid of October’, they said.
They said Zardari, during his visit to China, will negotiate a nuclear deal similar to the one between India and the US, besides discussing ways and means to enhance bilateral trade as well as Chinese investment in Pakistan.
They said the increasing gap between demand and supply of electricity in Pakistan had made it all the more important for it to look at options other than thermal power generation. They said the visit would also provide an opportunity to the two countries to discuss ways to realize actual potential of their economic and trade relations by enhancing cooperation in joint ventures, hi-tech industry, telecom, development of mining industry and manufacturing
Even before he was sworn in as President, Asif Ali Zardari had announced his plan to conduct his first official visit to China, but the plan was somehow changed to the surprise of many, with the critics saying that it had been done under the US pressure. The President proceeded on a ‘private visit’ to Dubai and United Kingdom on the dates which were being looked as possible dates for visit to China.
The sources however said the plan for President’s visit to China was still intact and he would be visiting the country in mid of October. They said the dates had been changed due to some complications, but did not elaborate.
Observers see the forthcoming visit of the President to China as significant in the context of the stepped up US raids inside Pakistan’s territory. They pointed out that under the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Good neighbourly relations, inked as as part of 22 agreements signed by the two countries in 2005 during the visit of Chinese Prime Minister to Pakistan, China had promised to help Pakistan defend its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
Pakistan and China have a long history of close cooperation that started in early 50s and saw stronger ties during former Prime Minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's era.
In the last three years, there have been ten state visits by Pakistani officials to China. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was the last top official to visit China last month. In April, former president Pervez Musharraf has also visited the country.
Pakistan-China defence-related cooperation has always been the most important component of their overall bilateral relations. The tradition of high-level exchange of visits for consultations between the armed forces of the two countries has provided sustenance to the bilateral relations, as the institution of the armed forces plays a special role in political decision making in both countries. In recent years, a mechanism of defense and security consultation has been institutionalized between the two countries.
In order to enhance military-to-military cooperation, China and Pakistan, in October 2003, conducted a joint maritime search-and-rescue exercise near Shanghai. That was the first time for the navy of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to conduct an exercise with a foreign country. Similarly, in November 2005, during their visit to Pakistan, Chinese naval ships conducted a second joint maritime search-and-rescue exercise with the Pakistan Navy. That was again the first time for the PLA Navy to conduct a joint exercise in waters abroad. Pakistan and China share a common interest in the security of the sea lanes of communication, and both support a multilateral framework for guarding energy and trade sea routes.
Defence production-related cooperation has also expanded in recent years between the two countries. Pakistan and China have jointly developed JF–17 Thunder—a multi-role fighter aircraft. Pakistan and China finalized a deal in April 2005, under which China Dockyard in Shanghai will build four F–22P frigates for the Pakistan Navy and transfer the technology as well. Cooperation on other ongoing defense projects is continuing to the satisfaction of both.
At the political level, Pakistan and China have unanimity of views on issues like the war on terrorism, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Iranian nuclear programme. Both countries wish to strengthen the authority of the UN and oppose unilateralism.
Besides this, the two sides have signed a large number of agreements on economic cooperation. Both countries are emphasizing expansion of the role and engagement between the private sectors of the two countries, with the patronage of the respective states, in undertaking initiatives on economic cooperation.
The overall geostrategic environment for regional cooperation is also gradually becoming more favorable. Pakistan’s entry into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as an observer and China’s entry into the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) as an observer would allow Pakistan-China bilateral economic relations to grow from a regional perspective.