ASTANA (APP) - Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Chinese President Hu Jintao on Wednesday reaffirmed their pledge to widen and deepen their multifaceted cooperation, as the two countries prepare to enter into a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) from next year.
Meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit here, the two leaders discussed a host of issues ranging from fostering bilateral trade and economic ties to UN reforms and the composite dialogue process between Pakistan and India.
Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri, Minister for Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs Muhammad Ajmal Khan and Minister of State for Economic Affairs Umar Ayub were also present in the meeting.
Chinese President Hu Jintao noted that the two countries had already concluded an Early Harvest Programme (EHP), saying that the FTA would be effective from next year.
Pakistan and China had signed the Early Harvest Programme during the recent visit of the Chinese Prime Minister to Pakistan, adding a new flavour to their trade and economic ties.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz expressed the confidence that the Early Harvest Programme and the FTA would give a major boost to the two-way trade that currently stands at $3b.
The two leaders discussed the proposed UN reforms and both sides agreed that the world body needs reforms to improve its effectiveness. They noted that the two countries had shared perception and identical views on the expansion of the UN Security Council.
The prime minister and the Chinese president also discussed the quadruple transport arrangements among China, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan to increase trade through land route.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz noted that Pak-China trade through Karakoram Highway was already on the rise and the quadruple arrangements would lead to increasing ties between Pakistan and the Central Asian states.
The Chinese president appreciated Pakistan's support on China's territorial integrity, saying that Pak-China friendship was a model and their strategic cooperation was a major force for promoting peace in the region.
He also expressed satisfaction over the growing economic ties between Pakistan and China, which had produced tangible results and was a driving force in their bilateral relations.
The Chinese president particularly appreciated Pakistan's strides in the economic field and hoped the country would continue to move forward on the road to progress.
He offered 100 scholarships for Pakistani students to study in China as part of the efforts to promote closer contacts between the youths of the two countries.
The premier thanked President Hu Jintao for his country's support to Pakistan to joining the SCO, which Islamabad had wanted for a long time.
He said Pakistan was also pleased over the inclusion of India and Iran as observer members on the six-nation grouping, adding that this formed natural linkages between Central Asia, Russia and China with Pakistan, India and Iran.
This area has a lot of potential and offers opportunities to develop economic, diplomatic and security linkages, besides increasing interaction between the civil societies of the member states.
"This will open a new chapter in our relations in this part of the world," the prime minister added.
The two leaders also talked about celebrating 55 years of diplomatic relations next year in a befitting manner so that the already strong relations that covered multifaceted areas get further boost.
They expressed satisfaction that their ties in all areas, including defence, security, economics and science and technology, were moving well and going in the right direction.
The Chinese president said they wanted to set up Pak-China friendship centre in Pakistan to help increase interaction between the civil societies of the two countries.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Chinese President Hu Jintao also discussed developments in the region.
The prime minister told the Chinese president that Pakistan desires to have good relations with all its neighbours, including India.
He expressed satisfaction that the dialogue process between Pakistan and India was progressing well and added that the current environment could be used to find a lasting solution to the decades-old Kashmir dispute in line with the interests of all stakeholders - Pakistan, India and the Kashmiri people.
The resolution of the dispute, he added, would unleash lot of economic and other potential that existed between the two countries.
Chinese President Hu Jintao appreciated Pakistan's efforts for promoting peace and stability in the region.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Tajik President Emomali Rehmanov met on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Astana and discussed ways and means to promote bilateral relations between the two countries.
The two leaders, during an hour-long meeting, also discussed regional issues and the cooperation within the SCO.
The Tajik President asked Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to help his country develop its textile sector. The prime minister assured him all assistance and said a Pakistani delegation would visit Tajikistan to explore opportunities for cooperation.
Tajik president also asked Pakistan to join with multilateral creditors to develop hydel project in his country so that electricity could be sold to Pakistan.
President Rehmanov noted that the two countries were only 1,400km distance away from each other and Gwadar and Karachi ports could be used as transit points.
The two leaders, however, noted that there was a need to develop infrastructure and road linkages through Afghanistan.
On the regional issues, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said Pakistan wanted a strong and stable Afghanistan, which was good for its own people and for other countries in the region as well.
The premier also thanked the Tajik president for his country's support to Pakistan for joining the SCO.
The two leaders also discussed a host of global and regional issues and security cooperation.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz also attended a tete-a-tete dinner Tuesday night that was also attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the five Central Asian leaders.
The dinner, hosted by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayov at his residence, provided an opportunity to the leaders to have an extensive discussion on the future of the region.
Tajikistan President Emomali Rahamanov, Kyrgyzstan President Kumanbek Bakiyev, Uzbekistan President Islam Abduganievich and Mongolian President Natsagiyn Bagabandi also attended the dinner.
The event provided a useful opportunity to the Prime Minister to discuss Pakistan's relations with Russia and the Central Asian States.
The leaders, during the two-and-half-hour interaction had detailed discussions on the linkages between Pakistan all the way up to Russian and the Central Asia, and how this region can leverage its location and potential.
They also discussed the regional issues, development in the world and security cooperation among the member states of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Online from Astana adds: Pakistan on Wednesday signed a protocol with Kazakhstan according to which Pakistan would help Kazakhstan in its bid to enter in the fold of World Trade Organisation (WTO).
The agreement was signed by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayov.
During the meeting of the heads of state at the SCO, the two leaders discussed issues pertaining to Pak-India ongoing peace process.
The two heads of state also sorted out ways of improving trade and economic relations between the two countries besides discussing the current situation in Afghanistan.
APP adds from ONBOARD SPECIAL AIRCRAFT: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Wednesday described Pakistan's joining of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as an "historic event" that will benefit the country politically, diplomatically and economically through interaction with the member states.
"Pakistan has been trying to become member of the SCO and we are pleased that we got this opportunity to become an observer, which will hopefully lead to full membership," he told reporters while flying back home after attending the SCO Summit in the Kazakhstan's capital Astana.
During his stay in Astana, the Prime Minister had formal and informal discussions with a host of leaders, Presidents of China, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and Russia, acting President of Kyrghzstan, First Vice President of Iran and the Indian External Affairs Minister.
The Prime Minister said that during his discussion with all the leaders he told them that Pakistan is a country, which wants peace and development.
"Pakistan is committed to global security and fighting terrorism. Pakistan wants to settle any issue we have with our neighbours," he added.
The Prime Minister also informed these leaders about the ongoing peace dialogue with India and the need for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute for a lasting peace in the region.
He said Pakistan-India dialogue and the confidence building measures have created a very conducive atmosphere and added, this would allow the two countries to address the issue of Jammu and Kashmir so that it meets the requirements of Pakistan, India and the Kashmiri people.