While the international and Indian media gave ample coverage to the Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji's high profile visit to U.S.A. last week, Li Peng's visit to as head of a trade and parliamentary delegation Pakistan did nor receive the same publicity.
From
Pakistan
's point of view, the five-day visit of Li Peng, which began on April 8 with his arrival in
Islamabad
, was significant for at least two reasons: First, though Li Peng is a former Prime Minister, he is very important, as the Chairman of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC). Besides, he enjoys considerable clout in Chinese domestic politics, being the second highest ranking leader after Jiang Zemin and therefore, enjoys superiority over the Prime Minister Zhu Rongji. Second, his visit to
Pakistan
within one year of the Chagai tests indicated that Sino-Pak relations were not affected by
Pakistan
going nuclear.
The purpose of the visit seems to have been primarily economic.
Pakistan
and
China
do not have significant trade relations despite being close allies. Trade between the two countries declined by 8% to $ 992 million last year as compared to the previous year. Promotion of economic ties and diversification of trade into new areas seems to have figured in Li Peng's talks with
Pakistan
’s leaders. During his visit,
Pakistan
and
China
signed agreements to promote bilateral co-operation in various fields. Although their details were not provided, it is understood that
China
will install another nuclear power plant at Chasma, to generate 300 MW electricity. The first nuclear power plant set up at Chasma with a similar generation capacity of 300 MW is expected to be commissioned by the end of this year.
China
will also provide
Pakistan
with its ultra-modern F-7 MG fighter planes which are equipped with night combat capabilities and a laser-guided missile system. Besides,
China
has also agreed to support the development of a number of industries in
Pakistan
under its ‘Spark programme’ for rural development. Lastly, the two countries have decided to promote exchanges in the fields of culture and tourism.
If there was one message that Li Peng wanted to convey, it was that ‘
China
will always remain
Pakistan
's trustworthy and reliable friend, no matter how the international situation changes’. He assured its leaders that
China
will not sacrifice its time-tested friendship with
Pakistan
to appease
India
in the post-Pokhran scenario. On its part,
Pakistan
reiterated its support to
China
on issues like
Taiwan
,
Tibet
and human rights. It conferred the Nishan-e-Pakistan on Li Peng, the highest civil award of
Pakistan
and declared that
Pakistan
would celebrate the Golden-Jubilee of
China
's Communist Revolution (1949).
Interestingly, both countries played down their differences over Kosovo and terrorism.
Pakistan
has espoused the cause of Muslims and has been busy mobilising the Organisation of Islamic countries (OIC) to condemn the human rights violations in Kosovo, but it has not rejected NATO actions in
Yugoslavia
;
China
has been critical of the
US
- led action in
Yugoslavia
.
China
also suspects that
Pakistan
is encouraging Muslim terrorists in its Xinjiang province. In fact,
China
had protested to
Pakistan
against maintaining terrorist training-camps in its territory two months ago, an allegation denied by
Pakistan
. However, both countries treat this issue as a minor irritant and of little consequence to their otherwise ‘strong’ friendship.
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