All-weather friend

PRESIDENT Asif Zardari's official visit to China on Oct 14 would be a welcome step. Mr Zardari would hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao and a number of other leaders including the business community. It is heartening to learn that about 50 MoUs would be signed in different areas. As hinted by Pakistan's Ambassador to China, special consideration would be given to strategic ties and that the two leaders would try to chalk out a plan to face various threats head-on in the backdrop of the significant geopolitical shifts in the region, caused in major part by the US war in Afghanistan and the insurgency waged by Afghan resistance. This new chapter of cooperation is indeed commendable and would surely push the ties to further heights. It bears stressing that this would be the president's first state visit abroad and thus would be carrying its import. The one to US last month was for the UN general Assembly session.