14 May 2004	Friday	23 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

ISLAMABAD, May 13: China is expected to finalize on Friday a $500 million supplier's preferential credit for Pakistan through the Exim Bank of China. The credit includes $350 million for the Chashma-II Nuclear Power Plant.

Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz told a news conference on Thursday that on his way to Korea to attend a meeting of the Asian Development Bank he would make a stopover at Beijing to discuss the credit.

The minister said that other projects that would be discussed with the Chinese Exim Bank officials would include projects in railways and infrastructure. He said that after the details of the credit were finalized the chairman of Chinese Exim Bank would visit Pakistan for the final agreement.

Mr Aziz said he would be in Korea for two days to attend the ADB board of governors' meeting at which presentations on the infrastructure development requirements of Pakistan would be made and added that Pakistan would seek more support from the ADB.

He said the ADB was an important supporter of Pakistan and was taking up infrastructure initiatives in the region and 'we would continue to seek its support mainly for infrastructure projects'.