Beijing, June 17: China today vowed to take its military ties with Pakistan to a “new high” and defended its nuclear cooperation with Islamabad to build two new reactors for the country.
 Terming the defence ties between the two countries as “all weather” the Chinese officials said both Beijing and Islamabad had “pledged” to strengthen these ties” after a meeting between the visiting Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and the defence minister Liang Guanglie.
 Kayani heading a high level Pakistani military delegation is currently on a five day visit to China.
 “Cooperation between the Chinese and Pakistani armed forces is exemplary and has been fruitful,” Liang, also a state councillor, said during the meeting held at the Diaoyutai Guest House.
 “China would join hands with Pakistan to bring military relations to a new high,” the Chinese defence minister was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
 The minister also said that the two countries should make continuous efforts to boost their joint defence programmes. His remarks assume significance as Pakistan and China are collaborating in the manufacture of advanced fighter aircraft.
 Kayani is also scheduled to meet the vice-chairman of China’s Central Military Commission Guo Boxiong and also hold talks with Chinese State Councillor and Minister for Public Security Meng Jianzhu.
 Top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo, who figured number two in the Chinese Communist Party hierarchy said the “all-weather friendship and all-round cooperation” played an important role in safeguarding “regional peace and promoting common development”.
 “We should work together to deepen bilateral cooperation in defence security and other sectors,” Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), said when Gen Kayani called him along with high powered military delegation.
 Wu also spoke highly of the fruitful exchanges and cooperation between the two armed forces, saying that the joint anti-terrorist cooperation in combating the “East Turkistan Islamic Movement,” (ETIM) a terrorist group, indicated that China-Pakistan relations were strategically on track.
 As the two countries were holding military level talks a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman claimed that its nuclear cooperation with Pakistan was peaceful, after the US announced it had sought clarification from Beijing on the sale of two new nuclear reactors.
 Commenting on the US reaction on the deal, spokesman Qin Gang told reporters “China and Pakistan have maintained cooperation in recent years in the civilian use of nuclear energy.”
 “This cooperation is with in line with our respective international obligations and totally for peaceful purposes and under the safeguards and supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” Qin said.
 Asked for specific response that the new nuke deal will require permission of the Nuclear Supplier’s Group (NSG), the Chinese spokesman skirted the issue, merely saying that the cooperation is “in compliance” with the safeguards of IAEA.
 Under the proposed deal, the state-run China nuclear cooperation has agreed agreed to supply and finance two 650 MW nuclear reactors in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
 The issue is likely to figure in Kayani’s talks with Chinese leaders. The Pakistan Army Chief’s visit comes ahead of the next week’s meeting of the NSG in New Zealand.
 Commenting on the US remarks Dai Xu, a Chinese military strategist said in state run Global Times today that claim that China is helping Pakistan develop nuclear programmes were completely groundless.
 He claimed the US’ accusation was intended “to conceal the fact that both the US and India cooperate on marginally pushing nuclear cooperation.
 Kayani speaking on the occasion said Pakistan values its defence and security cooperation with China, noting that the two countries have cooperated fruitfully in national defence industries in recent years, reports Xinhua news agency.
 Kayani said would further strengthen exchange and cooperation with China.
 Later, Kayani met Chinese State Councillor and Minister for Public Security Meng Jianzhu, top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo, and Vice Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission Guo Boxiong.
 Pakistan Ambassador to China Masood Khan also attended these meetings.
 Also answering another question in reports of the two countries working out new cooperation in the field of energy Qin said china enjoys excellent relations with Pakistan and is ready to cooperate with its neighbouring country in the field of energy.
 China maintains sound and mutual beneficial cooperation with Pakistan.
 During recent visit of Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang to Islamabad both sides reached the consensus on various matters and also exchanged ideas for cooperation in various fields.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 17 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST