News
Gilani’s four-day visit to China begins today
BEIJING: Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani will reach here today on a four-day official visit to have extremely important dialogue with the Chinese leadership on multifarious subjects.It will be third direct interaction of the premier with the Chinese leadership in less than 17 months, but the most conspicuous element of the interaction would be provision of much needed international support for Islamabad after the episode of May 2 wherein Pakistan had suffered deceitful blow from an ‘ally’.
Gilani will brief the overall scenario to the ‘time-tested and all weather’ friend against the backdrop of bullying disposition of the so-called ally. Incidentally India has also resorted to play on the American tune and started using ugly tactics for which it is known in the world. China is well versed about such Indian tactics.
Pakistan and China have planned to enhance their mutual cooperation in various fields including defence.
The countries will work out certain treaties for giving new heights to the cooperation in number of areas. Prime Minister Gilani is landing here right after two weeks of a whirlwind visit of Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha, energetic chief of Pakistan’s supreme intelligence gathering outfit, Inter Services Intelligence (ISI).
He was here on the third day of the May 2 episode and held useful discussions with the authorities concerned. Defence Minister Ahmad Mukhtar Chaudhry, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Defence Secretary Syed Athar Ali and Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir will accompany the premier besides a delegation of businessmen from Pakistan. Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir has served here as envoy and he is very popular with the leadership and administration of this country.
Prime Minister Gilani will have discussions with the host leadership’s ways to strengthen bilateral ties that mark six decades of friendship. The visit is important as it marks the joint commemoration of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China, and also celebrates the Year of Friendship as designated by the leaders of two countries.
Chinese leadership remember the days when their country was facing global isolation and the west especially United States was out to enhance worries of China with the active support of India and it was Pakistan that had tremendous international clout then, came out fearlessly to contest for befitting international role the largest country of the world. Now Pakistan needs identical support on certain issues and Chinese are forthcoming for that.
Prime Minister Gilani will kick off the visit from Shanghai where he will address the first conference of World Cultural Forum in Suzhou today. The conference is being held under the theme ‘Dialogue and Cooperation for World Harmony and Common Development’. Prime Minister Gilani and his delegation will travel to Suzhou fastest and most modern train service that Chinese have developed. He will be arriving here in the afternoon and Chinese leadership has made elaborate arrangements for his befitting reception.
Prime Minister Gilani will hold substantive talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, and exchange views on deepening bilateral relations, promoting practical cooperation across the board as well as other issues of common interest.
Courtesy www.geo.tv