Pakistan gets Chinese support in critical time

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani are welcomed

at the Pakistan-China Friendship Centre in Islamabad by

children dressed in traditional attire.

Tribune

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Saturday concluded nearly 30 billion dollars’ worth of deals, as Prime Minister Wen Jiabao said that Beijing would “never give up” on its long-term ally.

The deals – 18 agreements and four memorandums of understanding (MoUs) – were signed on the second day of Premier Wen’s trip, which came on the heels of his visit to Pakistan’s archrival, India.

The main focus of Wen’s tour – the first by a Chinese premier to Pakistan in five years – was on boosting trade and investment between the two countries.

The two sides also agreed on carrying out a feasibility study for building small power plants.

“The agreements will fetch nearly $15 billion investment over the next five years,” said Board of Investment chairman Saleem Mandviwala. He also hoped the deals would boost trade to $15 billion.

The latest contracts cover cooperation in defence, oil and gas, mining, space technology, heavy machinery manufacturing, seafood, oceanology and electronics.

The two countries will cooperate and share expertise in these sectors and frame their policies while bearing in mind each other’s sensitivities.

Of the 22 deals, the most important one was signed in the defence sector.

Under an agreement between Pakistan’s Space and Aeronautical Research Corporation and China’s Great Wall Industry Corporation, Beijing will help Pakistan build a communication satellite, PAKSAT-1R. The Chinese government will fund the project with a soft loan of  $200 million. The new satellite will replace the Pakistan Space Craft, which is likely to expire next year.

In the alternative energy sector, the two sides concluded a 6.5 billion dollars’ worth of MoUs. Similarly, another $3.5 billion worth of agreement was signed to improve Pakistan’s power transmission lines.

According to another $275 million deal signed between the National Highway Authority (NHA) and China’s Roads and Bridges Corporation, Beijing will repair a long stretch of the strategic Karakorum Highway damaged by the massive landslide in the Attabad area of Gilgit-Baltistan.

“A great potential has yet to be tapped in the two countries’ practical cooperation,” said Chinese Premier Wen and called for concerted efforts to bring more benefits to the two peoples.

The visiting leader also promised more help for the areas battered by recent catastrophic floods in Pakistan, particularly offering assistance in road repair, food production and relief programmes.

At a briefing at the National Disaster Management Authority, Premier Wen announced $10 million grant for the citizens compensation programme for flood survivors and $400 million concessional loan to help meet their needs.

Currently, the annual volume of China-Pakistan trade is $7 billion, which is tilted in favour of Beijing. China exports over $5.5 billion worth of goods to Pakistan. Chairman of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, Tariq Iqbal Puri said the trade volume would increase to $10 billion by 2012. “And during the next five years it’s likely to reach $15 billion,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Chinese dignitary spent a busy day on Saturday, meeting top political and military leadership during which he vowed to cement the two nations’ cooperation in all fields. During these interactions, the two sides pledged to take forward their bilateral cooperation to new heights, irrespective of any international pressure. Premier Wen will the addressing the Pakistani nation through parliament on Sunday (today).

“Under no circumstances we will give up on our commitment to pursuing this partnership,” the Chinese premier said during a luncheon function.

“We have established an all-weather friendship and engaged in all-around cooperation. Our relationship has withstood the test of time and changes in the international landscape,” the Chinese leader said at another function.

During their delegation-level talks at the Presidency, Wen said a mechanism has been worked out which, he hoped, would provide impetus to further enhancing mutual cooperation.

President Asif Ali Zardari, who hosted a state dinner for the Chinese leader also attended by heads of mainstream political parties, said, “Pakistan was keen to take Sino-Pak multifaceted ties to new heights as the friendship between the two countries has matured into a comprehensive strategic partnership. Strengthening and enhancing cooperation with China in all fields has been and is one of the key principles guiding Pakistan’s foreign policy.”

He said that China was a factor of stability in the region and the convergence of interests and unanimity of views on regional as well issues of international scenario have brought the two countries further closer.

Earlier, Prime Minister Gilani told the luncheon gathering that ties between the two countries were “rock solid”. He said Pakistan supports one-China policy and “condemns any attempt to undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif also met Wen and discussed matters of bilateral interest. During the meeting he urged the Chinese premier to further enhance and expand China’s participation in Pakistan’s economic growth and development. Services chiefs of Pakistan’s armed forces also met with the visiting dignitary.

Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Khalid Shameem Wynne, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Noman Bashir and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman exchanged views with Wen Jiabao on defence cooperation and other matters of mutual interest, according to ISPR.

Highlights

• Agreements will fetch $15b in investment over next five years

• Beijing will help Pakistan build a communication satellite, PAKSAT-1R

• Feasibility on building small power plants to be prepared

• One agreement stipulates improving power transmission lines

•   China to repair Karakorum portion damaged by Attabad landslide

Pakistan, China sign MoUs, agreements to expand co-operation

GEO


ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Friday inked a series of agreements and Memoranda of Understandings on expanding cooperation in economy, energy, security and technology.


Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao witnessed the signing of documents held at Prime Minister House as the respective ministers of Pakistan and China inked them.


The agreements and MoUs were signed to expand cooperation in the utilization, management, training, educational programmes and modernization of railways and to establish a long-term cooperative relationship on the basis of equality and mutual benefits.


The first Memorandum of Understanding on Reciprocal Establishment of Cultural Centers was signed by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Chinese Minister of Culture Cai Wu.


The second MoU on Strengthening Technical Cooperation and Pak-China Road Transport Activities between Ministry of Transport of China and Ministry of Communications of Pakistan was signed by Minister of Railways Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour and Chinese Minister of Transport Li Shenglin.


The agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the Government of Pakistan and Government of China, for grant of RMB 200 million for flood reconstruction projects was signed by Minister of Finance Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Chinese Minister and China International Trade Representative Gao Hucheng.


The agreement on launching of Urdu programmes on China Radio International in Pakistan between China Radio International (CRI) and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) was signed for broadcast on FM 93 (Islamabad, Lahore, Multan and Kohat) and the programmes shall be in Urdu and English. The agreement was inked by Director General PBC Ghulam Murtaza Solangi and Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Liu Jian.


The MoU on cooperation between Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan and Securities Regulatory Commission of China (SRCC) was inked by Commissioner SECP Tahir Mahmood and Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Liu Jian.


The MoU on establishment of Energy Working Group between National Energy Administration of China and Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources of Pakistan was signed by Secretary Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources Imtiaz Kazi and Vice Minister and Deputy Director Head of National Energy Administration Qian Zhimin.


A Government Concessional Loan Agreement on the Safe City Islamabad Project was also signed between Pakistan and EXIM bank of China and it was inked by Secretary EAD Sibtain Fazal Haleem and Vice President, China Exports and Import Bank Li Jun.


An agreement for National Electronics Complex of Pakistan was signed by Chairman NESCOM Irfan Burney and President CETC Yan Lijin.


An agreement to provide license to establish Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) by the State Bank of Pakistan was signed by Governor SBP Shahid Hafeez Kardar and President ICBC Yang Kaisheng.

Chinese premier in Pakistan to boost trade

AFP

ISLAMABAD — Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao held talks with his Pakistani counterpart on Friday, beginning a three-day visit aimed at boosting trade and investment by finalising 20 billion dollars' worth of deals.

Accompanied by a huge business delegation, Wen is the first Chinese premier in five years to visit the nuclear-armed country, which is on the front line of the US war on Al-Qaeda and battling a Taliban insurgency in its northwest.

Arriving from India, where relations have been clouded by sensitive trade and territorial issues, Wen's meetings in Pakistan may be less politically fraught in a country that regards China as its closest foreign ally.

Pakistan imposed blanket security as Shiite Muslims -- 20 percent of the population -- marked their holiest day, Ashura, which was last year marred by a bomb at a Karachi religious procession that killed 43 people.

"We have unprecedented relations with China. The whole nation is proud of Pakistan-China friendship," Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told state-run TV at Chaklala airbase, which rolled out the red carpet for Wen.

The Chinese premier went into talks with Gilani after being greeted at the airport by Pakistan's entire cabinet and military chiefs, who depend on Chinese hardware, and a guard of honour with a 21-gun salute.

Pakistan says China has already agreed to development projects worth 13.2 billion dollars in energy, agriculture, infrastructure and health, and wants trade to climb from seven billion to 18 billion dollars in five years.

Yet the target is dwarfed by Wen's agreement with India to double bilateral trade to 100 billion dollars by 2015 and to push Indian exports in an effort to bridge a trade surplus of 20 billion dollars a year in China's favour.

"Work on projects worth 14 billion dollars is continuing at present, while projects of another 20 billion dollars will be signed between the two sides during the visit," a Pakistani government official told AFP.

Wen is to sign the raft of agreements with President Asif Ali Zardari, address a joint session of the Pakistani parliament and attend a business cooperation summit during his visit.

Behind the scenes, talks are also believed to be planned on China building a one-gigawatt nuclear power plant as part of Pakistani plans to produce 8,000 megawatts of electricity by 2025 and overcome acute energy shortages.

The West has expressed concern about the security of Pakistan's nuclear material, but China has built a 300-megawatt nuclear power reactor at Chashma in central Punjab province and another of the same capacity is under way.

Without going into details, officials in Pakistan admit the country has a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with China, a counter-weight to India's agreement with the United States on nuclear energy cooperation.

Pakistan depends on China's financial and political clout to offset the perceived threat from rival India and rescue its economy from the doldrums of catastrophic flooding, a severe energy crisis and poor foreign investment.

"The major breakthrough is expected to take place in the banking sector," Pakistan's ambassador to China, Masood Khan, told state television.

Reports say Wen will open a branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the top private bank in China.

Pakistan's prime minister has expressed hope that trade will rise to between 15 and 18 billion dollars over the next five years.

But security issues will also likely weigh on the agenda. China has been concerned about the threat of Islamist militants infiltrating its territory from Pakistan, particularly in its western Xinjiang region.

Despite the massive trade deals struck by Wen's delegation in India, there appeared little progress on easing tensions between the world's two most populous countries.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao reaches Pakistan

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao reaches Pakistan

Dunya News
Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao has arrived in Islamabad for a three-day official visit. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani along with his cabinet members and senior military and civil officials will welcomed him at Chaklala Airbase. Security of the capital has been put on high alert after Premier Jiabao's arrival. Police and Rangers have been deployed at the routes.
As the airplane of Chinese Premier entered the Pakistani airspace, PAF’s two JF-17 Thunders escorted his plane. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Federal Ministers and senior military and civil officials will greet Chinese Premier at the Chaklala Airbase. Guard of honour was also presented to Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jianao. The Chinese Premier will address the joint meeting of Parliament on Sunday. Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao will hold formal talks today, covering wide ranging topics of bilateral interest to expand decades’ old ever-green relationship, with greater focus on their growing economic partnership. The talks at Prime Minister House will be followed by signing of about 20 agreements and Memorandums of Understandings (MOUs) in areas of economy, energy and communication.
The visit of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to Pakistan targets to set the trade volume between the two friendly countries at US$ 15 billion by 2012.Under the 5 years Development Programme launched in 2006 for strengthening of economic relations, the existing trade is to be enhanced to $ 15 billion by 2012.More than 62 different projects have been identified under this programme for investment in various economic fields and are at different stages of completion.In the last few years, investment of more than $ 1.3 billion was made by China in Pakistan.Over 120 Chinese companies have invested in oil, gas, IT and telecom, power generation, engineering, automobiles, infrastructure and mining sectors of Pakistan.