| Islamabad and Beijing to enhance trade to $15 billion by 2011 |
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| Friday,October 16,2009 Posted: 14:10 BJT(0610 GMT) |
| From:Business Recorder Article type:Reproduced |
BEIJING (October 16 2009): Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Thursday expressed their resolve to further strengthen bilateral ties in economic, defence and energy sectors for mutual benefit of the two countries.
Prime Minister Gilani met the Chinese leader as he concluded his four-day official visit to China, where he attended the summit of Shanghai Co-operation Organisation, besides holding talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and other SCO leaders.
Gilani and Wen Jiabao discussed the whole gamut of strategic and economic co-operation between Pakistan and China besides matters relating to agriculture, power generation and finance. The two leaders reviewed the progress on Sino-Pak bilateral ties. Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir later told APP that Prime Minister Gilani and Premier Wen Jiabao had an "excellent" meeting, covering entire spectrum of Pakistan-China relationship with complete unanimity on regional situation.
He said the two leaders reviewed strategic and defence co-operation besides having exchange of views on trade co-operation. Pakistan and China agreed to take the bilateral trade to 15 billion dollars by year 2011 from the existing 7 billion dollars, he said.
The Foreign Secretary said the two sides also discussed the measures to carry out projects of communications, including railway and road links and fibre optic. He said Pakistan and China agreed that heads of State Bank of Pakistan and People's Bank of China will meet soon.
He said China agreed to support Pakistan in agriculture and develop agri-zones by growing hybrid rice and sugarcane. Salman Bashir said Premier Wen Jiabao expressed his government's support in building medium and small dams and convincing Chinese companies to invest in this regard. Pakistan and China agreed on making efforts to realise full potential of Gwadar Port, he said.
The Foreign Secretary said Chinese side conveyed Pakistan of giving 135 scholarships to students and pledged to continue supporting education, culture and training of young officers. He said the two leaders agreed that Commission on Science and Technology would meet soon and said China was ready for the capacity-building of Pakistanis in all fields of life.
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Bilateral Visits
