Pak, China ties to scale new heights: Qureshi
By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

ISLAMABAD—Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Thursday said China has expressed its full readiness to assist and cooperate to Pakistan for the development of energy, mineral, mining and financial sectors and upgrade communication and transportation links between the two countries.
Talking to newsmen at the weekly briefing at Foreign Office along with spokesman Muhammad Sadiq, the Foreign Minister said “both sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in different fields especially in energy sector.” Qureshi who recently visited China with President Pervez Musharraf said, “China expressed its full support for Pakistan’s efforts to preserve its sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s important role in promoting peace, stability and security, and its contribution to counter terrorism.”
He said both the sides expressed complete satisfaction on the development of comprehensive cooperation in all fields and agreed to further enhance their ties in economy, trade, science and technology, culture and people to people relations. The Minister said China also expressed its full support to the efforts of Pakistan to promote socio-economic development and expressed its full readiness to assist Pakistan for development of energy, mineral and mining sectors and extend support for projects under the Pakistan China Joint five year Economic and Trade Cooperation Plan.
He said the two sides also agreed to work together to achieve the trade target of US 15 billion dollars by 2011. He said Pakistan also reiterated its full support to the ‘One China’ policy and the return of Taiwan to its motherland and also condemned and rejected the policy of separatism. He said Pakistan always support ‘One China policy’ and considered Tibet as inalienable part of China.
The Foreign Minister said President Pervez Musharraf and other members of the delegation held fruitful and very effective talks with President Hu Jintao, met Chairman NPC Standing Committee Wu Bangguo, Premier Wen Jiabao and Chairman CPPCC Jia Qinglin in Beijing as well as the leadership of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Urumqi. Qureshi said China has been extending cooperation to Pakistan in resolving its energy crisis and in this regard besides cooperation in nuclear sector in the form of Chashma Nuclear Projects, including new project for 550 MW energy production, the China has also offered its assistance in coal and mining sectors.
The Minister Pakistan will achieve the target of 8800 MW electricity from nuclear sector by 2030. He said Pak-China power projects in private sector will play due role in resolving the energy crisis in Pakistan. He said financing for Bhasha Dam from China was also considered during the recent visit and China can provide financially and technologically.
The Foreign Minister said the two countries also discussed the security of over 4000 Chinese working at different projects in Pakistan and Pakistan fully assured the security of these Chinese workers. He said both the countries have also agreed to upgrade and modernize Heavy Mechanical Complex to improve its production.
On the question of bilateral trade, the Minister said both the countries agreed to increase the present level of trade of $6.8 billion to take it $15 billion by 2011. He said negotiations for Free Trade Agreement in the services sector. He said both the countries have agreed to set up Pak-China Investment Company with initially fund of $800 million to start joint venture projects in Pakistan.