President Asif Ali Zardari's six-day visit to China at the head of a strong ministerial delegation during which he had meetings with a galaxy of Chinese leaders will certainly contribute towards further strengthening the bonds of multi-faceted relationship that exists between the two all-weather friends.
He held talks with his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao at Great Hall of the People before witnessing the signing of six agreements, covering such diverse fields as agriculture, healthcare, justice, media, economy and technology, although a critical strand of the visit was said to be the talks relating to the civil nuclear technology transfer deal that seems to have entered the final phase of formalisation, despite disapproval of Washington and other world capitals.
Pakistan's quest for civil nuclear technology is essentially in pursuit of the Chashma expansion project to increase nuclear component in Pakistan's energy mix. There has been growing convergence of economic interests between China and Pakistan at a strategic level, especially in areas of energy security and communication networks. The economic dimension of Pak-China friendship has gradually assumed the centre-stage, while security-related co-operation has taken on an added dimension, against the backdrop of the rapidly changing geostrategic environment in the region.
Zardari-Jintao vow to jointly fight against extremism and terrorism - the twin menace that has immense destabilising potential, augurs well for regional peace and stability. In separate meetings later with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference chairman Jia Qinglin, Zardari discussed bilateral, regional and international issues, with the talks marked by unanimity of perception on a large array of regional and international issues of mutual interest. They called for increased economic co-operation and enhanced people-to-people contacts between the two countries. However, the focus of the talks stayed on joint economic projects and promotion of regional connectivity.
Some analysts believe that with the India-US factor assuming prominence, Zardari's China visit will put Beijing's traditional element of backing Pakistan into greater play than before. The constitution of a joint economic forum to take up issues such as the currency swap, the opening of Chinese bank branches in Pakistan and the relocation of industries to industrial zones in Pakistan were critical economic planks of the visit that will help deepen the ties between them.
The National Trade Corridor programme was also discussed at some length to restructure trade, transportation and logistics systems of Pakistan along modern lines, as well as to provide improved regional connectivity, which can provide a powerful fillip to Pakistan's economic growth and development. These are areas that have formerly remained largely unaddressed. The constitution of a joint economic forum to take up issues such as the currency swap, the opening of Chinese bank branches in Pakistan and the relocation of industries to industrial zones in Pakistan are some of the planks that will help further bolster ties between the two countries.
Significantly, the need to establish a rail link between China and Pakistan was also discussed with the Chinese hosts. Upgradation of 800-kilometer KKH, a crucial trade and strategic link for Pakistan to China and Central Asia, at a cost of $500 million also figured Zardari's parleys with Chinese leaders. China is assisting Pakistan in improving a section of KKH, the 335-km Khunjrab-Raikot section. Zardari has also stressed the need to lay a pipeline from Gwadar to China to connect the two countries. The meeting with Jiabao was followed by separate meetings with Chen Lei, the Chinese minister for water recourses.
China has highly appreciated Pakistan's One-China policy and assured Zardari of Beijing's continued support to Pakistan at the UN and at all multilateral forums, including Saarc and ECO. Zardai and Hu have vowed to fight "three forces" of extremism, separatism and extremism. Pakistan has been a victim of terrorism, and as a front-line state in the war against terror, it has had to sustain colossal loss of life and property. (The armed forces of China and Pakistan are currently holding a joint anti-terrorism drill, codenamed "Friendship-2010" in China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.)
Zardari has also had a string of meetings with the CEOs of different corporations, including that of Sinohydro Corporation, China's main dam builder, among others, to attract investment. Pakistan plans to develop its vast hydro, coal and alternative energy potential to meet its mounting energy deficit. He apprised the corporations dealing in alternative energy of the enormous potential of solar and wind energy in Pakistan and invited them to join in partnership with Pakistani entrepreneurs.
He invited the three Gorges Corporation to participate in the construction of planned 12 new small and medium-sized dams being built by Wapda. (An MoU has already been signed with the EXIM Bank of China for financing 700 million dollars for these dams.) Talking to a delegation of China Northern Railway Corporation, headed by its CEO, the president said Pakistan planned to convert from broad gauge to standard gauge and also to build new lines for access to Central Asian, West Asian, Chinese and European markets, and invited CNR to form a consortium with Pakistan Railways for development of these and other projects on the basis of equity partnership.
It needs to be mentioned here that since President Clinton's marathon visit to India, Washington has been building up India as a counterweight to China's rapid expansion and growing power. There is a need for Pakistan and China to further broaden and deepen their relations at every level. The Zardari visit was a timely initiative, though his meetings with the CEOs of different corporations may not go down well with sticklers for protocol a head of state must observe, particularly when there was a strong delegation comprising ministers, advisers and technocrats better qualified to handle such matters.