December 22, 2001	Saturday	Shawwal 6, 1422

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BEIJING, Dec 21: President Pervez Musharraf promised China on Friday that his country’s newly close relations with the West would not affect a “time-tested” friendship with Beijing.

The specially warm words during the second day of Musharraf’s Chinese trip were a clear signal of reassurance to China, which has warily watched its formerly isolated ally get drawn into the centre of western plans for the future of war-ravaged Afghanistan.

“The relations between China and Pakistan are time-tested. They do not change with events,” Musharraf said during a meeting with Chinese parliamentary chief Li Peng.

“Whatever events are taking place, our friendship remains at the same very high pitch — very cordial as it has always been.”

Li, Chairman of the National People’s Congress, echoed the sentiment.

Relations between the two countries “do not change with the changes in the emerging international situation or within our respective countries,” he said.

In a further sign of support, during a later meeting with Vice President Hu Jintao — tipped as China’s next leader — Musharraf took pains to back a Chinese campaign against Muslim separatists in its far western region of Xinjiang.

“Pakistan will make full efforts to support China to fight against East Turkestan terrorism forces,” state television quoted Musharraf as saying, using the name of the country that Xinjiang separatists want to create.

China insists the sporadic and small-scale separatist campaign in Xinjiang should be considered part and parcel of the war on terror, an argument rejected by the United States.

Musharraf’s talks with a string of Chinese leaders, following his arrival in Beijing on Thursday, are thought to have focused mainly on Afghanistan.

Apart from Li, the Pakistani leader met President Jiang Zemin soon after his arrival, and Premier Zhu Rongji, Defence Minister Chi Haotian and Vice President Hu on a busy Friday.

Jiang warned Musharraf the immediate future of Afghanistan could be difficult.

“The Afghan interim government will have six months’ tenure,” Jiang said, according to a foreign ministry official speaking on Friday. “However, we believe this may not be a smooth one.” Apart from mutual reassurance, Beijing and Islamabad hope a public display of solidarity will give them more weight in the emerging international power play over Afghanistan, their mutual neighbour, analysts say.

“Pakistan’s decision to consult with China is beneficial to China because it gives it more influence on Afghanistan’s future,” said Joseph Cheng, a China expert at the City University of Hong Kong.

“At the same time, consulting with China enhances Pakistan’s own bargaining power on the Afghan issue,” he said.

In a sign of yet closer links evolving between the two countries, the Chinese foreign ministry official said Pakistan hoped to join the regional security-based Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which groups China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Jiang and Musharraf also discussed Pakistan’s ties with India, which have deteriorated severely after a Dec-13 raid on India’s parliament building.

The raid, which killed 14 people, has been blamed by India on Pakistan-based groups.

The foreign ministry official said China would be willing to play a role in improving ties between India and Pakistan, but that “the key to the question” was for the two countries to solve the matter peacefully.

Musharraf was scheduled to leave Beijing on Saturday morning for the northern city of Xian. He will visit the Three Gorges Dam project in southwestern China before flying to the prosperous southern city of Guangzhou, leaving for home on Monday.—AFP

KASHMIR: APP adds: China has appreciated Pakistan for its cool handling of the situation on the Line of Control and across the border following the recent Indian threats.

“Pakistan has shown good gesture of exercising restraint in the wake of the tense situation following the attack on the Indian parliament,” said Chinese President Jiang Zemin during his meeting with President Pervez Musharraf.

Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi, ISPR Director-General, said the Chinese president has supported Pakistan’s position on Kashmir and its efforts to seek its peaceful settlement.

Jiang Zemin assured that the Chinese government would play its role for peaceful resolution of the Kashmir problem, which he believed was the main cause of tension between Pakistan and India. He said he knew the difficulties Pakistan was facing in improving its relations with India.

HU JINTAO: The president also met Chinese Vice President Hu Jintao at the Great Hall of the Peoples here today and discussed matters of bilateral interest.

Welcoming the president, Hu Jintao said China was proud of its relations with Pakistan. Recalling his visit to Pakistan in 1984, the Chinese vice president said he still remembered the memories of his stay there.

President Musharraf said he had also visited China in 1984 for the first time and this was his fifth visit to the great country. He lauded the progress and development achieved by the Chinese people during the last 15 years.

TERRORISM: Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji called on President General Pervez Musharraf here on Friday and discussed wide-ranging issues of bilateral, regional and international interests.

Rashid Qureshi said the Chinese premier lauded Pakistan’s position in war against terrorism and its efforts for restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan.

He noted that Pakistan and China had been maintaining close contact with each other to adopt identical policy on the Afghan issue and fight against terrorism, following Sept-11 attacks in the United States.

Premier Rongji recalled the warm and enthusiastic welcome extended to him during his recent visit to Pakistan.

The two leaders discussed various proposals to strengthen economic ties between the two countries and early completion of the development projects undertaken in Pakistan with the Chinese assistance.

Mr Li Pheng, Chairman People’s National Congress, also called on the President.

DEFENCE: Chinese Defence Minister Chi Haotian called on President Musharraf here on Friday at the State Guest House, and discussed the matters relating to bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the field of defence production.

He was accompanied by the Chief of General Staff Fuquan You. They noted that Pakistan-China cooperation was of strategic importance for regional peace and stability. It was agreed that the Pakistan Armed Forces and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) would continue to maintain their relations cooperating each other in the field of defence production.

The President appreciated the Chinese assistance in this connection.

Federal Minister for Finance Shaukat Aziz, Commerce Minister Razaq Dawood, Petroleum Minister Usman Aminuddin and Foreign Secretary Inamullah Haq were also present during the meetings.