Zardari in China to seek urgent cash

ISLAMABAD - President Asif Ali Zardari Tuesday said that strengthening of economic links with China would be his top priority during his four-day visit to Beijing.

The President said this to media persons before leaving for China on his maiden state visit abroad. His Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao has invited him and the visit is aimed at further cementing bilateral relations and building trust and friendship between the two countries.

Zardari’s visit is considered to be of great significance as Pakistan is confronted with numerous challenges including economic which is at the top of the list. Pakistan is also under immense pressure from Washington with repeated demand of doing more on the front of war against terrorism. Islamabad is hopeful of inking civil nuclear cooperation deal with Beijing during this visit.

Before his departure, Zardari told the official Chinese news agency, “China is the future of the world. A strong China means a strong Pakistan.” He said Chinese progress and development had impressed him.

The President said he was looking forward to a long-term economic cooperation with China and his state visit to the neighbouring country would focus on trade and economic ties.

“The concept of Pakistan-China relationship is not a five-year plan,” he said, referring to the program for economic and trade cooperation signed between the two counties during Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit in 2006 when the two countries agreed to increase their bilateral trade volume to 15 billion US dollars by 2011.