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.