- (AFP) -- The cosy relationship enjoyed by two of the
world's nuclear powers was made plain Wednesday in a joint declaration
by Pakistan and China in which bilateral ties were deemed "exemplary".
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- Signed by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Chinese
counterpart Hu Jintao, the communique described their cooperation as an
"indespensable" factor in maintaining peace and stability in
Asia.
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- Musharraf has now left Beijing after a three-day state
visit to cement ties with close ally China.
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- The trip allowed Musharraf to meet China's new leaders,
headed by President Hu Jintao, for the first time since they took office
in March.
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- A raft of bilateral agreements were signed and a joint
statement pledging continued cooperation on trade, military and other strategic
issues was issued.
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- The partnership was defined by Musharraf as "deeper
than the oceans, higher than the mountains" as he extolled the future
global role of China.
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- "The past belongs to Europe, the present belongs
to the United States and the future belongs to Asia," he said in a
speech to China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
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- "In that, China's role is critical. China's role
is critical not only because of its economic strength and its performance,
but also because of its geographic might."
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- Yet despite the upbeat nature of his three-day visit,
Musharraf failed to finalise a deal for China's multimillion dollar assistance
to build a nuclear power plant, although a consensus has been reached.
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- Pakistan's foreign ministry said before he arrived that
financial and technical arrangements would be signed off Monday in Musharraf's
meeting with Hu.
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- This, however, failed to materialise, with China's foreign
ministry saying consultations "were continuing".
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- Beijing has already helped its close ally build the first
stage of the Chashma nuclear power plant in Punjab province, despite the
United States repeatedly urging it to halt nuclear cooperation with Pakistan,
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- Observers noted that its assistance in the second phase
would allow Islamabad to obtain enriched plutonium while being a non-signatory
to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
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- Nevertheless, Musharraf's trip, which he wrapped up Wednesday
by meeting Defence Minister Cao Gangchuan and military strongman Jiang
Zemin, was seen as a success.
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- He won continued Chinese support for Pakistan's territorial
disputes while both sides agreed to strengthen military cooperation, according
to the joint statement.
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- Pakistan already relies heavily on China for its defence
equipment, since the United States stopped supplying it with military hardware
in 1990 amid claims it had acquired the capability to produce nuclear weapons.
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- In return the general gave Hu assurances Pakistan would
not harbour Muslim separatists from China's western-most Xinjiang region.
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- Beijing has used the global war on terror to justify
a crackdown on the Muslim rebels and in the past has tactfully handled
the problem of Uyghur separatists moving across the mutual border.
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- The joint statement also trumpeted bilateral trade and
economic relations and pledged to build on them, particularly in the fields
of technology, tourism, investment and agriculture.
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- "Let me reiterate that China's economic miracle
of the last 20 years is a beacon for all developing countries like Pakistan,"
said Musharraf, as he praised Beijing's achievements in reducing poverty,
boosting foreign reserves, growing exports and attracting foreign investment.
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- The Pakistani leader was on his first visit to Beijing
since China's new leadership were installed in March and heads to South
Korea on the next stage of his trip where trade issues are expected to
be on the agenda.
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