Hu Jintao to arrive on 23rd
Pak, China strategic ties to get new impetus

ISLAMABAD—Forthcoming high-profile visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to Islamabad will give a new impetus to evergreen Sino-Pak friendship, setting in motion many far-reaching steps and pushing forward their strategic partnership to a new height.
The three-day visit, starting from November 23, carries special significance, since such a visit at the level of President from China is taking place after a gap of ten years. Last visit was in 1996, by President Jiang Zemin. Most recent visit to Pakistan was by Premier Wen Jiabao, during which a landmark
“Treaty of Friendship” was signed. June this year, this treaty was unanimously endorsed by the Chinese Parliament. Official sources told APP here Sunday that the friendship treaty reinforced the commitment of the two countries to help each other in safeguarding their territorial integrity. Under this treaty, the two countries are bound to work as close allies against any foreign threat.
The visit will be a symbolic one as well, in a sense that the two sides are expected to convey to the world, through a strong-worded statement, that their strategic partnership is fully intact, in spite of rapid changes at international level.
It will provide opportunities to the leadership of the two countries of sharing their views on recent political developments the world over. The two sides are also likely to take identical positions on issues like terrorism, situation in Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine.
A member of Pakistan think-tank and former senior diplomat said the Chinese leadership is fully aware of the fact that Pakistan’s close interaction with US on security issues, will not affect their decades-old traditional alliance in any manner whatsoever. China appreciates Pakistan’s support on combating terrorist activities of East Turkistan Movement (ETIM). In this connection, the two countries have already established strong intelligence exchange mechanism whic has been working very successfully.
President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz attach great importance to President Hu Jintao’s visit to strengthen their deep-rooted cooperation in various fields including defence production. During the visit, they may discuss further expediting their cooperation in co-production of FC-1 Xiaolong aircraft at Chengdu and naval warship at Shanghai, besides manufacturing of tanks and other ammunitions.
The visit envisages high expectations, that the two countries will further boost their economic ties. Pakistan may also seek signing of Free-Trade Agreement and inking of an agreement for establishing oil city (Oil refinery) at Chinese-assisted Gwadar port.
Pakistan has agreed for allocating 22,000 acre of land for setting up free economic zone and an oil refinery at Gwadar. According to a senior official of Commerce Ministry in Islamabad, the oil facility is likely to be connected with Saudi Arabia and oil will be exported to China from the Gwadar Port. Pakistan will also make available some quantity of oil for meeting China’s future requirements.—APP