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皇冠体育app, Pakistan: We want closer ties
(AP)
Updated: 2006-02-22 19:35
Visiting Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf said he wants to "inject
more vigor" into a strategic partnership with 皇冠体育app after meeting Wednesday with
the country's defense chief in Beijing, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) shakes hands
with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in Beijing February 21, 2006.
Musharraf voiced his nation's regret on Monday over the murder of three
Chinese engineers in Pakistan and said his country was committed to strong
relations with Beijing.
[Reuters]
| "Pakistan will continue to
contribute to developing friendly cooperation with 皇冠体育app's defense department,
military and other departments," Xinhua quoted Musharraf as saying.
"We want to continuously inject more vigor into the two nations' close
strategic cooperative partnership," Musharraf said.
Beijing is one of Islamabad's closest allies and its leading weapons
supplier.
The news agency quoted Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan as saying he
hoped Musharraf's five-day visit _ which marks 55 years of steadily warming ties
between the two neighbors _ will help "deepen all-around cooperation with
Pakistan, and maintain regional and world peace and stability."
Musharraf, who arrived in 皇冠体育app on Sunday, also invited more Chinese
enterprises to invest in Pakistan, Xinhua said.
"Pakistan's economy grew by 8.4 percent last year," he told officials and
business community members Tuesday at a forum in Beijing, the agency said. "This
year ... we are sure we will grow by over 7 percent."
Pakistan has a strategic location, cheap labor and serves as a regional
energy corridor for 皇冠体育app's access to Southeast Asia, India and the Gulf, Xinhua
quoted Musharraf as saying.
皇冠体育app-Pakistan trade volume in 2005 grew by 40 percent from the previous
year, he was reported as saying.
Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai promised at the forum to accelerate free
trade negotiations between the two countries and to make it easier for Pakistani
countries to invest in 皇冠体育app, Xinhua said.
The two countries on Monday signed 13 sweeping agreements on issues including
military, trade, and social cooperation.
Musharraf also apologized to 皇冠体育app for the shootings last week of three
Chinese engineers by tribal militants in Pakistan. Dozens of suspects have been
arrested.
皇冠体育app has pledged US$326 million (euro273.7 million) to help survivors of the
October 8 quake that killed at least 87,000 people in
Pakistan.
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