Pakistan woos China for anti-terror cooperation: Shaukat Aziz in China

[Dance]

During an exclusive interview with chinadaily.com.cn on Tuesday, former prime minister of Pakistan Shaukat Aziz said terrorism-controlling activities need to be re-examined and Pakistan can learn from China.

Aziz's visit is one of several exchanges between China and Pakistan this year, the 60th in which the two countries have had bilateral ties.

Aziz admits the surge of terrorism is hurting Pakistan and it is costing lots of lives as well as creating a level of uncertainty. He said China could give Pakistan a lot of advice on how to tackle these complicated issues.
The former prime minister said China has been a close partner of Pakistan's security and armed forces because both countries strive for peace, want to live with dignity and respect, and have no evil desires on any country. Aziz believes maintaining a level of defensive military capability is important for all countries to live in peace.

However, Aziz stressed terrorism is "not just a security issue", but "a battle to win the hearts and minds of people".

Talking about the impact withdrawing US troops from Afghanistan will have on Pakistan, Aziz said Pakistani people are very pleased that American troops are reducing. He said the presence of foreign troops can only create discomfort for many people, and if the security of Afghanistan is eventually left upon its government and its people, it will reduce problems which lead to extremism and terrorism.

He added the significance of the regions being connected, saying Pakistan and Afghanistan share 40 miles of borders. "If Afghanistan is in trouble, then we will be in trouble. Therefore a peaceful, strong and vagrant Afghanistan is critically important element in the sense of security of Pakistan,” he said.

Azizi said foreign troops leaving will give the people of Afghanistan a sense of pride by being able to control their own destiny, it will ease tension and people will see a gradual return to peace.

"A situation when nobody gains, then everybody loses. Terrorism is no friend to anybody. By killing innocent people, you won't achieve anything," he concluded.

Aziz is in China for a nine-day visit from June 26 to July 3, during which he will visit Beijing, Tianjin and Urumqi.

Pakistan woos China for anti-terror cooperation

 

[Brotherhood]

Pakistan, China enjoy multi-faceted relationship: former Pakistani PM - People's Daily Online June 29, 2011

Former Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Pakistan Shaukat Aziz said on Tuesday that Pakistan-China relations are the richest and deepest bilateral relationship Pakistan has with any country.

Aziz made the remarks during an interview with the Chinese media. His visit coincides with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties.

Speaking highly of the bilateral cooperation in economy and trade, investment, security, defense and personnel exchanges, Aziz referred to the bilateral ties as a multi-faceted relationship.

Aziz arrived in Beijing on Sunday, starting an eight-day visit.

"Every trip enhances relationships," he said, noting his contacts with different circles of Chinese society, such as government, the business community, media, academies and think-tanks.

The trip will also take him to Tianjin and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

"I am going to visit for the first time the city of Urumqi. This is also a part of my objective to know China better and to explore new areas," he said.

China's economic growth enables Pakistan to come to China to seek investment and funding for its development programs, Aziz said.

He encouraged Chinese companies to beef up investment in Pakistan, especially in the area of infrastructure, telecommunication and banking.

"Only yesterday I was pleased to see the new high-speed train from Shanghai to Beijing started, so this tells us China has leapfrogged in technology for the building infrastructure," he said, adding that "this gives us a new idea of what we can do in Pakistan."

With regard to anti-terrorism cooperation, he said China can give Pakistan a lot of advice and support on how to tackle this very complex issue, which is not just a battle for security, but a battle to win the hearts and minds of the people.

"Both countries continually acknowledge that terrorism is not the solution for any problems," he said, "and we exchange information and have interactions on various levels."

He said Pakistan wants to live in peace and the political parties are doing their best to try to contain and control terrorism.

Commenting on the U.S. plan to reduce troops in Afghanistan, Aziz said he was very pleased, as it will reduce some of reasons for the current extremist tendency for terrorist activities.

Source: Xinhua