China's Zhu begins 4-day Pakistan visit

China's Zhu begins 4-day Pakistan visit

ISLAMABAD (Reuters): Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji arrived in Pakistan on Friday for a four-day visit which Pakistan hopes will cement close military and economic ties the two countries have enjoyed for half a century.

Zhu was greeted by Pakistan's military ruler Gen. Pervez Musharraf as he stepped off a China Air plane to a booming gun salute as schoolchildren waved the countries' flags.

"I am convinced this visit will further consolidate and strengthen the traditional friendship between China and Pakistan and help to promote steadily the China-Pakistan partnership of all-round cooperation," Zhu said in a statement on his arrival.

"History has proven that this friendship is not only in conformity with the common aspiration and fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples, but also conducive to peace, stability and development of the region," the statement, quoted by the official APP news agency, said.

Zhu visits Pakistan at the start of an 11-day, five-country trip that will take him to Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Thailand.

But the trip does not include Pakistan's arch-rival India where U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage began talks on Friday on Washington's global missile defense plan.

The U.S. envoy is on an Asian tour to explain and win support for the Bush administration's strategic vision on missile defense, but he is not due to visit Pakistan.

India was on Friday observing the third anniversary of its nuclear tests which shook the global regime for nuclear disarmament and raised fears of a South Asian arms race.

In response to the Indian tests, Pakistan conducted five tests of its own on May 28, 1998, and one more on May 30.

China is seen as a key supporter of Pakistan's nuclear and missile program though Islamabad and Beijing deny that their cooperation has violated any international laws governing weapons of mass destruction or transfer of missile technology.

In November, the United States waived sanctions against China, imposed over suspected sales of nuclear-capable missile technology to Pakistan and Iran, in return for a Chinese pledge to step up its curbs on sensitive exports.

But the United States imposed sanctions on Pakistan and Iran for receiving help from Beijing.

Pakistan has made it clear that the focus of Zhu's visit will be on economic issues and Islamabad will seek Beijing's help on infrastructure projects.

"I would try my best to develop economic and commercial bonds between China and Pakistan, and we will utilize premier Zhu Rongji's visit towards this end," Musharraf told state television on Thursday.

Pakistani officials say they have identified half a dozen projects, such as the building of reservoirs, a new port and a coastal highway, in which China could help.

Pakistan also expects Chinese help in science and technology, small and medium industry and in military equipment production. Government sources told Reuters the total cost of the joint projects could reach $500 million.

Domestic media has urged Musharraf to use the visit to remove irritants that developed between the two countries in the early 1990s after China found Islamic militants operating in its province of Xinjiang.

There was speculation the militants entered China from Pakistan with the support of some Pakistani groups.

"Pakistan should not take Zhu's visit for granted. The relationship with China is perhaps (Pakistan's) last one of any dependability and importance and, therefore, needs nurturing," analyst M.A. Niazi wrote in The Nation daily.

China and Pakistan strengthened military relations during the 1980s when Soviet troops invaded and occupied Pakistan's western neighbor Afghanistan.