“The governments of Pakistan and China have reached decisive agreements on several development projects ” says Iqbal. PHOTO: Express/Zafar Aslam/FILE
Talking to a local television channel, he said that the recent visit by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to China saw him signing various agreements with the Chinese leadership in the fields of trade, energy and communication.
As part of an effort to boost the annual trade volume between the two countries from $12 billion to $20 billion, leaders from both countries had agreed to construction of economic and industrial cities in Gawadar and other parts of Pakistan. They had reached agreements over the establishment of trade corridors and railway links as well as in the area of power development.
The minister added that delegates of both countries had signed agreements for hydro-energy, solar energy and coal-based power projects as well as specifically discussing the Neelum-Jhelum and Diamer- Bhasha Hydropower projects.
COMMENTS (28)
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@gu: Dude now it become more unclear according to you "Pakistan and China are brother, brother can never send money to his brother, mainly rely on our own brother to brother"
Then why there money $20bn is concern??? why brother can't help without money? Is not it China's business?? Is not China doing politics over Pakistan?? You can make Pakistan fool not the world.
I'm chinese.Pakistan and China are brother, brother can never send money to his brother, mainly rely on our own brother to brother, fishing rod, fishing to teach younger brother. Help build Pakistan railway, highway, port, oil pipeline is to activate the economy of Pakistan. In the China World Trade hitchhiking, earn a transit fee. Is that clear?
look at chinese weibo, all chinese people there think Pakistan is the real friend of us,and we love Pakistan people so much ,until i saw these comments translated on our china website by somone, are these comments really from our Pakistan friends?
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@PakPower:
" also seriously consider the true intentions of our ‘friend.’ To China, we are just an expendable pawn in the greater game of world domination."
It is a well-known axiom in international relations that there are no permanent friends or enemies but only permanent national interests.
The Chinese can't be blamed for focusing on their self-interest. It is not the Chinese who are using meaningless and empty hyperbole's such as "sweeter than honey, taller than the Himalayas deeper than the ocean" etc.
China has two basic interests in Pakistan: 1) Use Pakistan to keep India preoccupied and destabilized, 2) Use Pakistan to fight against anti-china Uighur Islamic freedom fighters.
China's trade interests in Pakistan are negligible considering the very small numbers. As for all this talk about connecting Gwadar with Xinjiang, it is a very low priority for China. China already has an energy corridor through Kazakhstan and other CAR countries. It makes no sense for China to invest $30+Billions to develop this corridor.
Besides, all major Chinese industrial outfits and population are concentrated in southern china adjoining India's northwest, Bangladesh and Burma. It is a lot cheaper to move goods and oil products through Burma, Bangladesh and India, and that too with no major new investment for infrastructure.
In summary, China is using Pakistan for its own national interests.
The bitter truth is that all Pakistan has done is to sold transit rights to China in exchange China will invest in infrastructure designed by, built by for the pleasure of its own people. Benefit to Pakistan will be nil. Look at what China is doing in Africa same model. China is in the business of growing food. People who work on the farm to loading of the final product in the ship are from China. Local people do not get to see a single grain of farm production. It is like apartheid all over again. Same apartheid is coming to Pakistan. Friendship is sweeter than honey. Chinese honey is known to contain Chloramphenicol antibiotics, a bone marrow suppressant. Same will happen to Pakistan.
Pakistan economy is lapdance economy . For years Pakistan was dancing in the lap of U.S and now its dancing in the lap of China . Before, inviting Chinese investment it's necessary for Pakistan to build Pakistan owned basic industries otherwise Pakistan will be subjected to another decades of blackmail for aid and then search for new lap will begin .
@Cynical:
by the way did you confirmed with Chinese if they already know that they are part of the family :) what matters is that there shall be balanced trade ....
Pakistan sales land to china????????/// only 20B?? shame they should offer more.
One can expect more than USD 20 billion trade with India also if trade restrictions are lifted. Pakistan should open all the natural and historic trade routes with all its neighbouring countries. Wagah has volume of 500 truck loads everyday now. Same or more could be expected from Khokhropar route which remains closed for about 50 years. Opening trade routes would bring harmony peace and prosperity. Pakistan's neighbouring countries are 40 % of global population. Why can't we cease these huge markets for trade.
@Naresh
You missed it completely. Choice of words and metaphors unmistakably points to a 'tongue in cheek' comment.
@cynical: Please tell me you are real, you are a human. What family are you talking about? We are like monkeys dancing on perceived borrowed friendship of china, who are using us as a pawn in their game. Open your eyes and see how these clever chinese have destroyed our own industries, closed down factories, flooded our markets with junk, and have total control on our economic and foreign policy. Every sector today is indebted with chinese loans, who inturn dictate us what to do. Our leaders and establishment, cannot even move a finger without blessing from beijing. What are you talking about?
I would like to say that , considering the size of trade China is having now, what China get from Pakistan can be achieved from somewhere else easily , it will really be disturbing to see that you people in Parkitan think China is taking advantage of your country through trade. China really donot need that much of money to make himself rich. @unbelievable:
@Cynical: Chinese are not Americans who gave billions of dollars in zakat to Pakistan.
Pakistan has no other choice but to do what Chinese want them to do. Pakistanis are in the habit of playing double games with every one, the moment Chinese find out the real Pakistan game plans. there will be a quick divorce and Pakistan will have to give all the dowry back.
"specifically discussing the Neelum-Jhelum and Diamer- Bhasha Hydropower projects." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ So what were the results of the specific discussions? Or are they secret?
Wise Minister ++++++++++++ As part of an effort to boost the annual trade volume between the two countries from $12 billion to $20 billion"" By what year, that is never mentioned!
Have you actually got that sort of amount ? Why not level with the people and enlighten them with basic facts, that Pakistan has managed to destroy any serious industrial base that existed due to mismanagement or other factors as lack of energy or security etc... Now they are bragging about Billions that they don't have and are seeking from IMF , and yet the Chinese are about to flood your Markets with everything ! So much for your own industrial base ! Even their own people refuse to buy the rubbish, that they produce, and yet Pakistanis will be complied to purchase the very same ! This really shows how smart the Pakistanis are ! This is really very sad and nothing to be proud of in long run !
@Cynical You are funny man, very funny. People who believe in higher than mountains, sweeter than honey, stronger than steel relationship between China and Pakistan are ones living in a cocoon land. It's like a one erotic novel you are describing.
@Cynical: *@unbelievable @hasan
Please don’t be so narrow minded and profit oriented like Jews and Indians. Together, we and the Chinese are a great big family. And in a family it doesn’t matter who earns more and who earns less. We are all equal. Who ever wins it still reamains within the family. So chinese profit is our profit as well. . Indeed it behoves you to be large hearted especially to a Time Tested Friend like China. . Once Pakistan-China Trade approaches US$ 20 Billion Annually Pakistan may probably suffer a Balance of Trade Deficit to the Tune of US$ 10 Billion. . At the moment Pakistan-China Trade leaves Pakistan with a Deificit of US$ 2 Billion. However at the moment India is far more Large Hearted as it Trade with China suffers a Trade Deficit of US$ 36 Billion. . Cheers
$19.99999 B Export from China and rest Export from Pakistan..
Check the friendship between Pakistan and China
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lWVvmnzbyk
Enough of the flooding of the low-grade Chinese stuff. What China can't sell to the more competitive market, it 'dumps' it here and calls it fair trade. As @unbelievable pointed out, we should send out more finished products than raw products or semi-finished products and also seriously consider the true intentions of our 'friend.' To China, we are just an expendable pawn in the greater game of world domination. We were a friend back in 50s, 60s or even early 70s when China was 'at par' and not a giant dwarfing Pakistan which it is now.
@unbelievable @hasan
Please don't be so narrow minded and profit oriented like Jews and Indians. Together, we and the Chinese are a great big family. And in a family it doesn't matter who earns more and who earns less. We are all equal. Who ever wins it still reamains within the family. So chinese profit is our profit as well.
Yes, China exporting goods worth $20b to Pakistan.
Long live pak China friendship.
these clever chiense have only their profits in their mind. With trade, they only mean that they will occupy our markets even more, and control everything here. Today 80% of trade is in favor of the chinese, who have virtually turned us as a low profile colony. Unless we look into the eyes of these chinese and tell them clearly, that we are equals and trade has to be balanced, the same way we demand from USA and India, they will continue to loot us over here. Shame on how our leaders sell this land to these foreign forces, instead of developing ourselves.