Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Pakistani military leaders on Thursday as Beijing and Islamabad seek to expand their defense and anti-terror cooperation. Li reaffirmed Beijing's unswerving support for Pakistan to realize stability and improve its development.
Li spoke during a meeting with top Pakistani military leaders, saying "the military is not only an important force in maintaining security and stability in Pakistan, but also a firm supporter of the China-Pakistan friendship".
He urged the international community to help Pakistan overcome its difficulties while respecting its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Defense and anti-terror cooperation has been one of the areas that underpin China-Pakistan strategic friendship, Wang Dehua, head of Southern and Central Asian Studies Institute of the Shanghai Institute for International Strategic Studies told the Global Times.
The cooperation has gone beyond promoting peace and stability in the region and border areas of the two countries.
"China and Pakistan are also seeking closer links in maritime security, especially that of the Indian Ocean, and other international affairs at the UN," Wang said.
Li also expressed hope that the Pakistani military would continue to do its utmost to safeguard the security of Chinese agencies and staff in Pakistan.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said earlier at a joint press conference with Li that the two countries believed that "terrorism, separatism and extremism pose serious threats to regional peace, stability and security."
The two sides had reiterated their resolve to continue cooperation in "combating these evil forces", he added.
In a highlight of Li's visit to Pakistan, the two sides on Wednesday signed a series of agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoU).
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani signed the Agreement on Boundary Management System between Xinjiang and Gilgit-Baltistan, a MoU on maritime cooperation and an agreement on border ports and their management system. Representatives and officials from two countries also signed a MoU on building a long-term economic corridor.
Fu Xiaoqiang, a professor on South Asian affairs at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the deal means the building of an economic corridor between China and Pakistan would gain momentum.
"There are already very good foundations for such a corridor in the border areas laid by both sides, especially infrastructure, while Pakistani regions bordering China also enjoy relatively good security," he said.
"The creation of the corridor would benefit both sides. This would improve Pakistani economy and boost its trade with China. And China would also diversify its trade links with other countries," Fu noted.
China is Pakistan's second largest trade partner. Bilateral trade last year rose to above $12 billion for the first time and both sides are aiming to reach $15 billion in the next two or three years.
A deal was also inked between China and Pakistan on the use and cooperation of the Beidou navigation system.
China's Beidou, or Compass Navigation System, already started providing public services to Asia-Pacific countries in December last year and is expected to provide global coverage by 2020. China is expected to build a network of stations in Pakistan to improve the location accuracy of the system. The network, which has military applications, currently consists of 16 operational satellites, with 30 more about to join the system and Thailand, Laos and Brunei already use the system.
Wang said the close friendship between Beijing and Islamabad will also help the development of China's relations with the Islamic world.
Pakistan has the second largest Muslim population after Indonesia.
In an address at the Pakistan's Parliament's Upper House Thursday, Li said Pakistan is significant at both regional and international levels, hailing what the role it plays in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Pak-China: ‘Unswerving support’ for Pakistan: Li
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Pakistani military leaders on Thursday as Beijing and Islamabad seek to expand their defense and anti-terror cooperation. Li reaffirmed Beijing's unswerving support for Pakistan to realize stability and improve its development.
Li spoke during a meeting with top Pakistani military leaders, saying "the military is not only an important force in maintaining security and stability in Pakistan, but also a firm supporter of the China-Pakistan friendship".
He urged the international community to help Pakistan overcome its difficulties while respecting its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Defense and anti-terror cooperation has been one of the areas that underpin China-Pakistan strategic friendship, Wang Dehua, head of Southern and Central Asian Studies Institute of the Shanghai Institute for International Strategic Studies told the Global Times.
The cooperation has gone beyond promoting peace and stability in the region and border areas of the two countries.
"China and Pakistan are also seeking closer links in maritime security, especially that of the Indian Ocean, and other international affairs at the UN," Wang said.
Li also expressed hope that the Pakistani military would continue to do its utmost to safeguard the security of Chinese agencies and staff in Pakistan.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said earlier at a joint press conference with Li that the two countries believed that "terrorism, separatism and extremism pose serious threats to regional peace, stability and security."
The two sides had reiterated their resolve to continue cooperation in "combating these evil forces", he added.
In a highlight of Li's visit to Pakistan, the two sides on Wednesday signed a series of agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoU).
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani signed the Agreement on Boundary Management System between Xinjiang and Gilgit-Baltistan, a MoU on maritime cooperation and an agreement on border ports and their management system. Representatives and officials from two countries also signed a MoU on building a long-term economic corridor.
Fu Xiaoqiang, a professor on South Asian affairs at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the deal means the building of an economic corridor between China and Pakistan would gain momentum.
"There are already very good foundations for such a corridor in the border areas laid by both sides, especially infrastructure, while Pakistani regions bordering China also enjoy relatively good security," he said.
"The creation of the corridor would benefit both sides. This would improve Pakistani economy and boost its trade with China. And China would also diversify its trade links with other countries," Fu noted.
China is Pakistan's second largest trade partner. Bilateral trade last year rose to above $12 billion for the first time and both sides are aiming to reach $15 billion in the next two or three years.
A deal was also inked between China and Pakistan on the use and cooperation of the Beidou navigation system.
China's Beidou, or Compass Navigation System, already started providing public services to Asia-Pacific countries in December last year and is expected to provide global coverage by 2020. China is expected to build a network of stations in Pakistan to improve the location accuracy of the system. The network, which has military applications, currently consists of 16 operational satellites, with 30 more about to join the system and Thailand, Laos and Brunei already use the system.
Wang said the close friendship between Beijing and Islamabad will also help the development of China's relations with the Islamic world.
Pakistan has the second largest Muslim population after Indonesia.
In an address at the Pakistan's Parliament's Upper House Thursday, Li said Pakistan is significant at both regional and international levels, hailing what the role it plays in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
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