Diplomatic ties: Chinese team due amidst strained Pak-US ties
A high-level Chinese delegation, led by Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, is due to travel to Islamabad next week amidst continued uncertainty surrounding the troubled ties between Pakistan and the United States.
The delegation, comprising top officials from China’s diplomatic corps and intelligence services, will have wide-ranging talks with the country’s civil and military leadership, said a foreign office official.
The official told The Express Tribune the Chinese foreign minister would arrive on May 29 and hold formal discussions with his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar. Jiechi would also meet President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.
The official described the visit by the top Chinese diplomat as significant in view of the ongoing tensions between Islamabad and Washington over the resumption of vital land routes for the foreign forces stationed in Afghanistan.
The supply lines were suspended in November last year in retaliation to Nato air strikes on the Salala check post near the border with Afghanistan, which left 24 soldiers dead.
Pakistan seeks an unconditional apology from the US for the attacks and imposition of an additional transit fee on Nato trucks.
Washington is, however, so far reluctant to accept those demands, delaying Islamabad’s final announcement to lift the six-month old ban on Nato supplies.
China is believed to have backed Pakistan’s stance on resetting ties with the US in line with the new policy terms approved by parliament last month.
Another official said Pakistani leadership would brief the Chinese delegation about the ongoing intense negotiations with the US.
“Pakistan and China share a common perspective on important regional issues including the Afghan endgame,” the official said, adding that Beijing, being an emerging world power, should have been invited to the recently held Nato summit on Afghanistan in Chicago.
Pakistan and China have enjoyed cordial diplomatic relations throughout six decades.
But there was a hiccup in recent years when Beijing expressed reservations over alleged links between Pakistani militants and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM).
Chinese authorities had called former Inter-Services Intelligence chief Lt Gen (Retd) Ahmed Shuja Pasha to Beijing in August 2011, following an attack in Kashghar blamed on militants allegedly trained in Pakistan’s lawless tribal areas.
The presence of officials from the Chinese intelligence services in the delegation means the issue will figure prominently during talks between the two sides.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 24th, 2012.
COMMENTS (9)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1734857121-0/Untitled-design-(59)1734857121-0-270x192.webp "k p launches kurram peshawar helicopter service amid tensions")
1734867283-0/Untitled-design-(61)1734867283-0-270x192.webp "mohsin naqvi meets sheikh al nahyan to finalise neutral venue for champions trophy")
Pakistan news papers once quoted a Chinese official as saying, "Attack on Pakistan will be considered as attack on China"
USA has been continually attacking Pakistan by drones since last many years. China has surly taken a note of the attack but did not help Pakistan.
Looks like China does give a tacit support to USA for drone attacks.
Those who think that China is going to step into the shoes of the USA are beating a dead horse. The USA is your largest export market and source of hard currency -- China on the other hand uses Pakistan to dump product creating unemployment. The vast majority of your high tech military toys comes from the USA - often at a discount or for free -- China like many other countries is willing to sell you anything (nothing special there). Most already know that the USA disaster relief dwarfs China or anyone else for that matter. Most also know that the USA controls the IMF and other sources of Pakistani loans. As far as the belief that China is somehow going to take on the USA on behalf of China --- that's more wishful thinking as China's relationship with the USA is the most important relationship it has. . On the other hand - chances are your relationship with the USA is coming to and end - and something is better than nothing.
I am pretty sure China will be asking for a report on the actions taken by Pakistan on Uighur Terrorists hiding and getting safe havens in Pakistan.
Chinese officials routinely visits Pakistan, but Pakistan still faces a major debt and balance of payment crisis. Nobody in their right mind will want to be the sole sugar daddy of a spoilt child, especially China, who is right next door.
@hisar: US PM? We don't have a prime minister. Never have in all US history.
We have done so much for the Chinese & now it's time for repayment. They need to supply power, setup industries to create jobs, provide aid & sign visa free policies between the two countries. Also they should stop persecution of Muslims in china!
Looks like the Chinese delegation has two agendas: 1/ To do more (like USA says), 2/To heal the rift between PPP and PML-N.
Its just a matter of time before the Chinese too start becoming more belligerent in its attitude towards Pakistan with regard to Xinjiang
ha ha ha... British PM, US PM, Saudi PM, China PM, Turkish PM, Iran PM, Afghan PM, UAE PM, ..... there are no end to foreign PMs lending "support" to this country , next we will see Timbaktu PM, Zambia PM, Somalia PM, NK PM landing in Karachi airport. my pride in green passport knows no bound ! Welcome China... let me see what I other national assets I have to sell today.