BEIJING, February 10: China and Pakistan today expressed confidence that the visit of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to China tomorrow will forge even more closer political, economic and cultural ties between the two."We believe the visit by the Pakistani Prime Minister will further promote the development of friendly relations between China and Pakistan," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao told PTI commenting on the significance of Sharif's week-long visit.
"During the upcoming visit, Chinese leaders will meet Prime Minister Sharif and exchange views on bilateral and international issues," the spokesmansaid.
"China and Pakistan are friendly neighbours, and leaders of both countries enjoy this tradition of visiting each other," he added.
Meanwhile, the official Xinhua news agency reports from Islamabad that during his visit, Sharif will brief his Chinese counterpart Premier Li Peng on Pakistan's recent initiatives to bring permanent peace in Afghanistan and the process of talkswith India for peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue.
However, the primary focus of Sharif's fifth visit to China is to reiterate the strong Pakistan-China traditional friendship and enhance mutually beneficial economic relations, it said.
In an interview with Chinese journalists in Islamabad, Sharif said Pakistan wants to have stronger bonds of friendship with China. "We look forward to entering into the 21st century with even stronger bonds of friendship. We aim to further deepen our understanding in the years ahead," Sharif said.
He said the purpose of his forthcoming visit to China is aimed at "reiterating our traditional friendship with China, discussing bilateral relations and exploring new avenues of economic cooperation."
Sharif said, "We are deeply satisfied with our relations which encompass all fields," and commented that since Beijing and Islamabad forged diplomatic relations in 1951, bilateral relations have progressed "on a friendly basis to the mutual benefit of the twonations".
"It has been a long and steady friendship. This friendship has never wavered despite vicissitudes of time and dramatic changes in the world scenario. We deeply appreciate China's unstinted support to Pakistan at critical junctures and its significant contribution towards Pakistan's goal of self-reliance," he said.
Agreements covering agriculture, technological and industrial cooperation are to be signed during Sharif's visit.
On the defence front, sources said Islamabad would press for China's firm commitment on two key fighter plan manufacturing ventures.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
