ISLAMABAD: Six JF-17 Thunder fighters of the Pakistan Air Force will escort the aircraft of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang as it enters Pakistani air space on Wednesday, at the start of his two-day State visit.
The JF-17s -- a symbol of deep Sino-Pakistan friendship – will guide the special Air China Boeing 747 aircraft of the Chinese dignitary to the Nur Khan Air Base, where a 21-gun salute will herald his arrival.
The JF-17s will fly past over the air base.
In a rare gesture of cordiality and warm feelings for China, President Asif Ali Zardari and the caretaker Prime Minister Justice(R) Mir Hazar Khan Khoso will receive the chief guest on his first visit to Pakistan, since assuming office in March.
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Pakistani pedestrians walk past portraits of visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (C), Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari (R), and caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso (L) in Rawalpindi. PHOTO: AFP
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President Zardari will host a luncheon for the distinguished guest in which all the major leadership of political parties have also been invited.
The Prime Minister will also host a banquet for his Chinese counterpart.
On the second day of his visit, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Chief Nawaz Sharif will meet Li Keqiang.
The two countries will also sign a number of memoranda of understanding for close cooperation in various fields.
The Chinese Premier will also address the Senate of Pakistan on May 23.
He will also hold a joint meeting with the Senate Chairman and the Speaker of the National Assembly.
Later, he will visit the Pak-China Friendship Centre and witness a cultural show.
Prime Minister Khoso will bid farewell to the Chinese Premier on Thursday and the six JF-17s will escort the dignitary's aircraft till the aerial limits of Pakistan.
The Government and people of Pakistan look forward to the visit of Premier Li Keqiang and a warm welcome awaits him, a Foreign Office statement said.
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Thanks for sharing us. Escort Berlin
@Rex Minor: Yes 21-gun salute is reserved for the President but the Premier was given an extraordinary welcome as part of special protocol. Also the Pakistan President visited the Air Base to personally receive the Chinese Premier along with the Prime Minister, which is a rare gesture as according to diplomatic protocol, the President doesn't receive PM. But for Pakistan, it is common to go an extra mile for China (particularly in terms of protocol).
Why is there i picture of an F-16 in this article? Not the first time this paper has posted the first random pic they find just to make the article look better.
China is our most trusted and reliable friend.We should whole heartedly welcome their Premier and encourage their investments in Pakistan. Long live Pak-China friendship.
How Chinese leadership visits Pakistan always cordially most welcome and if US' president can visit with his F-16's squad then why not Chinese PM with JF-17 Thunder?????
@stevenson: 'Why so many Indians---' . Brother, its quite simple a like a typical Indian movie where two twin brothers go to a mela where one gets lost and falls in bad company to become a don whereas the other one joins the police force and tries to reform his brother who had gone astray. I now leave it for you to decide who is who.
@Shah: 400 Liters? more like 4000 Liters my friend..........even more.
@stevenson: "I can’t understand why so many Indians always post on Pakistani news sites." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Brotherly love Sir/Madam. ( after being dumped by my Pakistan GF thats all I can say)
Since when has Pakistan started to provide escort service ?
JF-17 is an acknowledgement of Pak-China Cooperation during Nawaz Sharif's previous tenure. The world leaders (especially China, Turkey, KSA, UAE, EU) trust PMLN Leadership more than any other party.
Who flew those jets ?? Chineese or Pakistani Pilots ??? Would Pakistani pilots fly them with confidence ?? as they flew F-16's
@Zaida P: Your question is irrelevant and childish. Maybe due certain logistics the planners of the trip decided on an itinerary that best suited the prevalent scenario.
@polpot
China is also close to North Korea…hope that answers your questions:)no it doesn't.
@Yuri Kondratyuk
exactly, Chinese have better fighters that jf-17. Point is if the seller is not using something doesn't mean it is useless..
We are nothing and the chinese are future superpower thats why they get royal welcome, even when they go to America. And investments you idiots are talking about, if they had security situation like Pakistan in China they would have not invested in their own country. Our foreign policy blueprints come from America and you idiots expect chinese to invest in Pakistan.
@Pakistani Ostrich: An appropriate observation regarding JF-17s reliability and unprecedented protocol followed at the behest of the military. China is in the process of grounding its entire JF-17 fleet including its higher versions and selling them to third world countries whereas they themselves are going for SU-35s along with transfer of technology from Russia. Surprisingly, Pakistan has ordered 50 JF-17s Thunder to replace it's aging Mirages, F-7 etc as these junk aircrafts are much cheaper than F-16s.
@Polpot:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
tissue culture has a better chance
@Yuri Kondratyuk: "Well, existence of a culture is the essential requirement" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ok but what about agriculture?
@ ajathaa, they might not be jealous for sure but definitely they are pakistani centric, even if president of Mozambique visit india, they would complain about pakistan. Accept it buddy..
@abc:
Well, existence of a culture is the essential requirement for successful spread of cultural influence. Hope this helps.
@Khalid:
F-16A/B were inducted into USAF and then replaced with upgraded variants. I do not see the logical equivalence here.
Pakistan should maintain international protocols for visiting high dignitaries as bending double for a particular country only belittles the reputation and sovereignty of a proud nation if it considers to be one.
@Rashid: "this is what the problem is for you." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ China is also close to North Korea...hope that answers your questions:)
@Ghiza: What is wrong if the Pakistanis parade some of the joint Chinese-Pakistan developed fighter jets? Ever heard of public relations and improving ties. Your admiration of India is misplaced since they took Canadian gifted aid in the form of a Candu nuclear reator and diverted its intended peaceful use to make nuclear weapons and nuclearize South Asia. Look at all the native anti Pakistan and anti China comments on this news item. Is there no news in India? I can't understand why so many Indians always post on Pakistani news sites.
This is wonderful news and deep, trustworthy friendship that China has with Pakistan is such great news in times like these. This shows that the world truly respects plurality and everyone wants peace and stability. Love the symbolism of the PAF planes protecting the Chinese PM. Pakistanis can learn so much from Chinese education and that includes their language which I know is very hard but is not impossible to learn if you can handle learning it, there is no compulsion to learn it though, the language as the Chinese language that all Pakistanis understand is of peace and stability.
@confused Pakistani: NO,,,,,,,,,
His real visit is to India to cool down border disputes; so as not to hurt feelings, he is visiting Pakistan. Bar for a few MOUs, there is nothing on the agenda, and prime ministers do not visit for the sake of signing MOUs or for visiting out going temporary governments.
Money well spent.
@Iqbal Hadi Zaidi: Readers are not commenting on the importance given to the Chinese Premier's visit to Pakistan. They are all mocking Pakistan for the way it is treating this important visit. When China mocked Pakistan with symbolic references like "deeper than the sea and higher than Himalayas", former Prime Minister Gillani took it further and added phrases like "stronger than steel and sweeter than honey". PPP govt. even made Chinese language compulsory from grade 6 in schools. Teaching / learning a language in schools is different than making it compulsory and that too all of a sudden. Even in this visit, Pakistan is projecting its military angle only by bringing out fighter jets. Unfortunately, Pakistan's relationship with every country is and has always been based on military angle only and therefore it never progresses beyond a stage and also keeps on changing. Friends become bitter enemies overnight and vice versa.
@Polpot
exactly. this is what I am trying to say. why Chinese are not included in that list, this is what the problem is for you.
@ajaatha
obviously.. otherwise I don't find any reason for an Indian to comment on this news and even the comments are not sensible..
@sm
this is exactly what I said. US sells weapons which they don't use themselves anymore..
@sm
does it changes the equation, sir??
@abc: Thanks for posting the video. It is nice to see Indians and Chinese learning and appreciating language and culture of each other.
i wonder y so much indian friends arguing here about the matters of pak..especialy pak-china relationship...admit it or not its pure jealousy man..if u ppl d,nt have any interst and jealousy factor go dudes do ur own work..u pplz have also many problems in ur country use ur energies to solve them and stop portraying india as heavens and land of saints..whole world knows ur so called democracy and millions of ur pplz wandering on roads for a piece of bread.. so my indian friends solve ur own problems we will do ours we d,nt need ur expert opinion..enough said
@Muhammad Ovais: Have u been to China? I have and and there is no such a thing. How did you conclude this living in London by the way?
@Zaida P: We want to enter the Indian Ocean, to appease the first Indian, Pakistani friendship will not change。
JF-17 zindabad!
I love reading comment on ET. Thanks ET.
What a novel way of expressing deep friendship to the all weather friend but in order to strengthen it even further, the Pak President should fly in one of the jets to say bye bye to Chinese PM from the aircraft.
@tariq nawaz sheikh: I am trying to understand what you trying to state. Mod please can you proof read comment before it publish. Oh sorry, your proof reader also need to take another class in grammar as it is point out by another person also. Oh my bad, I forgot English is 2nd language to us. Singh
We must have at least 1 Super Power on our side so from that point of view China is the most suited country for us which is tilting towards us for decades and we must cement our relations still the more particularly when USA is not friend if not foe. I lament to read negative remarks posted over here objecting as to why we are giving so much importance to China. Do they want us to salute India instead or what? Please enlighten me at least. Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait / Mobile 00965-66229897 / iqbalhadizaidi.formerdiplomat@hotmail.com
Akal mand log. China is the only country that clearly said we prefer trade over aid with our ally Pakistan years ago and they proved it over and over again in our various industries including defence. This is how a mutually beneficial friendship works. Respect your real allies. Welcome the Chinese Premier with open arms. My mother went to Beijing and Shanghai last year - she said the unbelievable welcome she received there just because she was Pakistani was something unforgettable. Reciprocate and show proper Pakistani hospitality to the Chinese Premier.
@Zaida P:
Be grateful he is coming here. We need to correct ourselves first and not make a fuss because our conduct does not permit us to do so. Accept the fact that economically India is very strong, that is a FACT and those who are financially strong are the most attractive! By the way I am a Pakistani top to bottom, and not an Indian as many would tend to think so! Just need to gulp bitter truths, something Pakistanis cannot!!
@Raj - USA: well total cost of Gawadar project in surely in billions of US dollars so if china paid so few of them then who has paid such huge bucks? Surely there is some big fish pushing huge bucks.
@Rashid: "OK.. so Indian’s problem is ‘why he is going to Pakistan? why? why?’." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ So Obama never came, Putin didnt step in, Angela Merkel, Hollande....hmmmm:)
"..The JF-17s — a symbol of deep Sino-Pakistan friendship – will guide the special Air China Boeing 747 aircraft of the Chinese dignitary to the Nur Khan Air Base.."
If JF-17s airplane (paid by pak) symbolizes pak-us friendship (pak-china friend-friend), then what does the chinese premier travelling in USA made Boeing-747 airplane (paid by the chinese) symbolize? US-China bhai bhai? Or that super-duper power chinese don't trust their own aeronautical technology to carry their leader in a plane made in china? Stop over dramatizing the news! I hope khakis don't make any hair-brain deal with chinese like handing over the gwadar port, pretty much free( or we got paid by chinese military toys, like jf-17)! We need substantial $$$ Grant/Aid (to be used for awaam's betterment) by the chinese for using our ports and mining our natural resources, not just the lip service, nor some unproven military toys for the boys!!
I just came across this video link of NDTV about spread of Indian culture in China;
http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/video-story/276010
I will love to see a similar video about Pakistani influence in China.
@Shah: *Jet fuel
@Rashid "Well nobody have any cure for this disease". - You mean Indians are jealous to Pakistan??? Come on man.. In which century are you living in?
@Weirdity: Weirdity, pls dont share your wisdome with rest of the world as they may deprive China from being the beiggest exporter in the world. Have fun and don't think too much.
@Khan: What about Pakistan ? This country treats us far worse ...
@Khalid:
it's not about aircraft, it's about selling oneself to other.
No offence meant to Pakistani friends but putting up fighter planes to 'escort' a visiting head of state makes it seem like some viceroy or imperial delegate of ancient times is coming to visit a tributary state. This kind of a show would have fitted right in during the days of the British Empire - the Prince of Wales visiting India in 1911 would have gotten such treatment from various princely states. This day and age, it seems a bit out of place.
@Rashid:
you only stated half the reality, another half describes it as a "failed" state.
I hope the Chinese jets don't fall off the sky. The Chinese products are notorious for having quality and reliability issues.
OK.. so Indian's problem is 'why he is going to Pakistan? why? why?'. Well nobody have any cure for this disease. Pakistan is a reality. bear with it.
@Farooq Khalid: have you any sense, how to talk about friends
@ashok sai
dont worry even Indians do not use 'Made in India' aircraft..
Chinese PM to visit Pakistan, GREAT China, The Great real friend of Pakistan Hope Pakistan and China will come more close Every Pakistani should welcome Chinese PM Pak China Friendship, ZINDABAD
This is very much like F-18s by this angle.
@Muhammad Ovais: I guess for that to happen we need to start eating rats or something. So no thanks brother.
We should welcome our friend China. Jee aaya noon.
The JF17S can also be used to welcome Putin....... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ they use a Russian Engine:)
@Shah: Jets consume jet-fuel, not petrol. It's naive to think they'd spend money appropriated for events such as these on poor children.
I hope they don't crash into the Chinese PM's aircraft. After all they are made in China.
Here comes the Chinese leader to watch the drama "Higher than Himayalays, sweeter than honey" after the successful business trip in India :-)
@waseem sarwar: @Mj: I recall reading somewhere when the Gwadar port was handed over to China recently that China's investments in Gwadar to date is around $250 million. I think that the biggest investment China had made to date in Pakistan is the Karakoram Hwy.
Chinese dignitary comes in American made plane. Pakistan receives him with Chinese aircraft. Who trusts whom ?
@Zaida P: Last time I checked, India was on the way to Pakistan. It makes sense geographically, so please spare us the conspiracy theories.
@confused Pakistani:
They are the right kind of 'godless', unlike the Soviets.
I hope that Indian Government will learn something and send all SU 30 MKI in reception of President of ITHEOPIA
Six jets Will consume a petrol of 400 litres . Why not give that money to Poor children?
@Yuri Kondratyuk
what an argument far from sensibility!! Tomorrow you will say why F16 block A and B are not active in USAF.
@waseem sarwar: Chinese investment in Gwadar is less than a billion dollars spread over many years.
@Polpot: You don't want to put those boards in public then. :)
Chinese ( Communists / Atheists ) , aren't they "wajib ul Qatal" ? :)
test some missiles too
@Muhammad Ovais: After traveling and working in several countries, I feel that China and Turkey are the only two countries where Pakistani people are treated open-heartedly. They truly treat you like guests.
,Xi Jinping is the top person of china...................so if he visits pakistan will there be a national holiday
@Water Bottle: "Veena Malik just passed to the left, by the posters." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I want Veena Malik also on the posters......plzzzzzz
more objective less emotional dear foreign office please .. he is not comming to Burundi
Good idea. Chinese themselves didn't induct JF-17s into their air-force. Now finally, Li Keqiang will understand why.
So what gives impetus to Chinese Pakistani Friendship? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Will my Paki friends share their perspective?
@Water Bottle:
That's alright for the jest, but to me not looking straight shows the arrogance of Politicians in our region. That's how the unaccountable royals used to pose in Good Old Colonial days. Mr. Li comes out as the only friendly and 'ready to face the people' kind of guy in that poster.
Only a fool judges people by the presents they give him - Chinese Proverb
@Naveen:
"Can anybody explain to me why Pakistani Politicians are looking sideways (not straight like Mr. Li) in those posters."
Veena Malik just passed to the left, by the posters.
Height of sycophancy, when will we grow up as a nation ? In Eighties we use to lick feet of Americans in the same way as we are doing with Chinese now . It's high time we develop some identity of our own , and stop expecting everything in free (everything comes at a price ) . In this context I do admire Indians, they made their economy,education and infrastructure strong . I think fuel wasted in 6 fighters salute could be saved and money could be used to generate some electricity.
@bash gul: he is meeting NS anyway so i can't see any problem.
@Mj: I don't know much but didn't China pushed billions in Gawadar port?
Can anybody explain to me why Pakistani Politicians are looking sideways (not straight like Mr. Li) in those posters.
Waste of fuel. How much money has China invested in Pakistan? Less than a billion, I presume. They make multi-billion dollar investments in Africa and South America, while we get a pittance.
So travelling between Pindi Islamabad would be a nightmare tomorrow
why 21 gun salute for the chinese Premier, this is reserved for the President?
Rex Minor
Now, Obama ecpecting 12 F-16s on his visit to Pakistan :p.. JF-17s for China and F-16s for US. and for the people of Pakistan we have Drones. ??
Despites all the Facts, it is a very Good Gesture. Thumbs up to PAF
couldnt the visit be postponed till the new elected government took over.
How come friend China's new premier visits India first before coming to Pakistan? Strange. Has something changed?