Friendly neighbours: Chinese PM likely to arrive in mid-Dec

Agenda includes economic ties, terrorism and the war in Afghanistan.

ISLAMABAD: Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao is expected to arrive in Islamabad on December 17 on a three-day official visit, official sources told The Express Tribune.

The two countries are expected to sign the economic agreements that are being finalised by a Pakistani delegation in Beijing this week.

Officials said Wen’s visit to Pakistan could lead to increased trade with China and more investment by China’s public and private companies.

China is one of Pakistan’s top-three trading partners and recently, it has increased investment in several sectors, including ports development, roads, railways, mobile phones and communications technology, hydro and thermal power, mining, electronics, and nuclear energy. China has also extended its support to Pakistan in building a natural gas pipeline from Iran.

Besides economic issues, terrorism and the Afghan war will also be on the agenda of talks when Prime Minister Wen meets President Asif Ali Zardari and PM Gilani.

Beijing has been perturbed over militancy in China’s Muslim-populated regions that border Pakistan and has sought Islamabad’s cooperation on the issue. Pakistan also helped China nab several India-backed Chinese militants from Fata.

The year 2011 will mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China. China came to Pakistan’s aid in its flood reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts. The Chinese government has pledged a total of $250 million in humanitarian assistance and announced that it would provide food items and other essential goods to the flood-hit people of Gilgit-Baltistan. Recently, a Chinese reconstruction survey delegation visited the flood-affected areas of Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2010.