Chinese FM to visit Pakistan, president's trip to be discussed
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ISLAMABAD: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be arriving in Islamabad on 9th February on a two-day official visit to finalise the details of the upcoming visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, a top government source told Dawn.com.
The Chinese president is scheduled to visit the country from 22nd March this year.
The source said that that during his visit, Foreign Minister Yi would meet with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the PM House and Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz at the Foreign Ministry.
The source further stated that the agenda of discussion would be agreements to be taken up during the visit of the Chinese president, which would be finalised during talks with the visiting foreign minister.
Wang Yi recently met with India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in Beijing on a host of bilateral and multilateral issues, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first visit to China in May.
Read also: China hails ties with India, Russia
A diplomatic source had told Dawn that the Chinese president is expected to attend the Pakistan Day parade as chief guest.
Read more: After 7 year gap, Pakistan Day to see military parade in full glory
Both China and Pakistan are working out details of the Chinese president's visit through diplomatic channels.
Chinese authorities have been assured about maximum security during Jinping's upcoming visit.
"We are in the middle of a process to finalise the drafts of various agreements to be signed during the visit of the Chinese president," Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal told Dawn.com at Parliament House.
He made it clear that at no cost would the visit by the President Xi Jinping be postponed this time. He accused certain political elements of trying to disrupt the beginning of Pakistan-China economic corridor.
The Chinese president would formally open this corridor from a location not be disclosed due to security concerns, a source said.
"The visit by the Chinese president is extraordinary because of two reasons, first due to the visit by US President Barack Obama to India last month and second due to long awaited joint services military parade on 23rd March in Islamabad which would be graced by the Chinese president," Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed told Dawn.com.
Late last year, following consultations between the governments of China and Pakistan, the visit of Chinese president to the country had been cancelled in light of protests in Islamabad led by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT).
As the ruling Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) blamed PTI chief Imran Khan and firebrand cleric Tahirul Qadri's protest in the capital for the cancellation of Chinese president's visit, counterpart India rolled out the red carpet for Xi Jinping on his maiden visit to India.
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (59) Closed
Feb 03, 2015 10:31pm
Good luck to Pakistan . Wish u all the best
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Feb 03, 2015 10:49pm
Welcome to the "land of the pure" which is the best, long time, dedicated and all true weather friend of the People's Republic of China.
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Feb 03, 2015 10:58pm
Whatever India does, for China Pakistan will always be first and very special. The economic corridor, Gawadar, the Iran,Pakistan oil pipeline leading to China. The destiny of Pakistan and China is inextricably linked. Rest is all semantics, by petty minded nations.
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Feb 03, 2015 10:58pm
that is called modi effect; modi had brought all out of their comfort zone
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Feb 03, 2015 10:59pm
Make sure General Raheel conveys our displeasure of Chinese hosting India for talks with Russia. Let the Chinese foreign minister know how much their actions have hurt the common people of China and Pakistan.
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Feb 03, 2015 11:04pm
I am not really excited about the Chinese foreign minister's visit after their back stabbing earlier this month. They invited India for talks along with Russia. I would like to see an apology from the Chinese.
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Feb 03, 2015 11:09pm
A reliable friend of Pakistan.... welcome to our land
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Feb 03, 2015 11:13pm
Now let's see some 'tamasha' from neighbourly trolls!
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Feb 03, 2015 11:15pm
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal made it clear, "at no cost would the visit by the President Xi Jinping be postponed this time". Shall not this statement be made by China....Was visit last time was postponed by Pakistan?
Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed had been gracious to confess, "The visit by the Chinese president is extraordinary because of two reasons, first due to the visit by US President Barack Obama to India last month"
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Feb 03, 2015 11:18pm
Welcome all-weather friend...A friendship deeper than ocen and higher than Sky...A role-model friendship for every developing nation...
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Feb 03, 2015 11:23pm
@Shaneeza General Raheel already conveyed displeasure during Beijing visit.
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Feb 03, 2015 11:29pm
Honestly, apart from Gwadar port I don't see what China finds interesting in us.
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Feb 03, 2015 11:42pm
Pakistani may hurt with relation among India and China. Chinese are so excited by Indo-Sino relationship. For more just look at Chinese newspapers of today.
Pak need China so Why China will apologise??
This all-weather friend word looks good in fictional books not in real life.
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Feb 03, 2015 11:49pm
@Jaanbaaz Please do not confuse moral support with friendship.
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Feb 04, 2015 12:00am
Besides other important issues, would someone raise the issue of allowing tourist visas to Pakistanis for visiting China as is available to our Indian friends?
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Feb 04, 2015 12:14am
Hip Hip Hurray .......
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Feb 04, 2015 12:14am
Good gesture important relationships b/w china Pak but we don't relay only on china we should also look forward towards Russia.
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Feb 04, 2015 12:18am
Indians must be jumping off the cliff like us with Obama, right .
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Feb 04, 2015 12:34am
Happily ever after story.
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Feb 04, 2015 12:38am
Great expectations , pakistan's last hope and only hope.
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Feb 04, 2015 12:39am
Troll alert stemming from eastern front.
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Feb 04, 2015 12:41am
@Akram 200 million people
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Feb 04, 2015 12:47am
@Jaanbaaz "General Raheel already conveyed displeasure during Beijing visit"
that is why the Chinese foreign minister and then the president are running to Pakistan. Chinese cannot afford to see an upset Pakistan. We block the warm waters to China, that will be a loss of 50% of their exports.
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Feb 04, 2015 12:48am
@Popat Whom to consider friend is my wish. A friend is not determined by doing cost-benefit analysis. China's moral support, even if it does not accompany diplomatic & financial support; is superlative of friendship for me.
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Feb 04, 2015 12:59am
@Zak
"Whatever India does, for China Pakistan will always be first and very special. The economic corridor, Gawadar, the Iran,Pakistan oil pipeline leading to China. The destiny of Pakistan and China is inextricably linked. Rest is all semantics, by petty minded nations."
Then how do you explain such a low trade volume of only a few billion dollars between the two nations? That heavily in favor of China?
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Feb 04, 2015 01:24am
See, there is always morning.
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Feb 04, 2015 01:34am
@janaza I hope, pray,you get some good news every day.
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Feb 04, 2015 02:18am
There is no hurdle in his visit except for IK. I believe he will again do his tamasha to harm Pakistan interest
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Feb 04, 2015 02:18am
New agreements are being signed that is good but what about the previous agreements which have yet to be implemented.People at the helm of affairs should know that terrorism will have to be controlled before the agreements can be implemented.And IK should ask for time to meet the Chinese president and apologize that because of his dharna his previous trip was cancelled.He could have stopped the dharna for a couple of days to facilitate the trip.
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Feb 04, 2015 02:19am
Excellent, I bet Obama and Modi won't be able to sleep tonight.
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Feb 04, 2015 02:25am
China is a good friend of Pakistan but it has to look after its interests too.
China realises that the Americans are trying to use India against it. Hence as the saying goes - keep your friends close but your enemy closer.
But it is good to see Chinese leaders supporting Pakistan.
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Feb 04, 2015 02:25am
Mark my words - Chinese president will not visit for the parade. It appears too childish and cannot be at the scale of India/USA Obama visit. Chinese are pragmatic and will not thumb either India or USA's nose by displaying a "me too" mentality. They will also be concerned about the message it will send to the international community and they are always concerned about their image (rightly so).
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Feb 04, 2015 02:37am
There are no permanent friends in international relations.
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Feb 04, 2015 02:44am
@Zahid get your facts straight.For Chinese visa, there is not a single country whose citizen visa application fee is waived ,except pakistan. even in foreign embassies, i witnessed that in riyadh where even saudis had to pay visa fee but not Pakistani passport holders.Besides no friend is a permanent friend and no enemy is a permanent enemy.Chinese taught an excellent lesson to indians.Indians know that it will take another hundred years to cope with china's current military strength so better join them if you cant beat them.
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Feb 04, 2015 03:40am
There are no permanent friends or enemies.It is all about the interest of your country.
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Feb 04, 2015 03:51am
best fellow against worst enemy
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Feb 04, 2015 05:30am
@Pali Correction - 200 million poor people. Remember its the market size that matters in today's world.
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Feb 04, 2015 05:47am
@Bernama Real trade is in the form of love and friendship that you cannot measure in dollars, who cares who is trading how much when both pakistan and china are going to one nation.
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Feb 04, 2015 05:54am
Chine Pak friendship is stuff of legends.
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Feb 04, 2015 06:04am
I don't agree that the visit should accomodate his participation in military parades on 23th March. Why should we do it as tit for tat now because Obama did that in India. Its more graceful to do the things on our own. I also feel it is childish to test fire missiles the next day india has done it, we should do it on times of our choices and necessity. Indian's know our superior capabilities and our own public too is much more informed today. The time for these gimmicks is an old thing. Now its about media use, and more to come up with strategic egde over the enemy. What we want from Chinese friends is a soft statement reminding india and US that the only way for India to enter UNSC is by resolving issues which are on UN agenda. And then a total commitment to help Pakistan become an industrialized country through trade and investments from China in a size which can send a sound and healthy message to the western world for their investmentment drives to see Pakistan as a future emerging economy.
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Feb 04, 2015 06:06am
All the best Pakistan... Way to go...
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Feb 04, 2015 06:09am
How insecure! All weather friend yeah right! Where were they when the wars were being fought? Any of them?
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Feb 04, 2015 06:19am
@Alpha, India is a big future market and it's only fair for any country to creat their share in trade with her. Chinese can't be stupid to ignore india or any other country with that potential. But on the other hand, Chinese relations with Pakistan are more of a strategic nature, and more so after India has chosen to turn west for future economic and power struggles. So these are two different scenerios which can't be compared. No one can predict the politics of a quarter of century ahead, not even those who inntiate and form the international political trends and alterations but but for now China would surely need to develope Pakistan as a hub of cheep labour for its industry to still compete in the market while wages in China itself are on rise. After all dont forget, Pakistan is a 200 million nation with 2/3 of the population being under 30 years of age. Not a small market on any count.
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Feb 04, 2015 06:41am
Long live Pakistan-China friendship.
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Feb 04, 2015 06:42am
not only china,but the whole world like to do business with country. at present it is very very low due to govt. policy on extremism and sheltering internationaly declare terririst.this is the fact. if poicy change the countrys picture becomes bright.administators and rulers have damage commonman of country.
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Feb 04, 2015 06:50am
What is so exciting the Chines President or other world leaders have every right to visit Pakistan and they have every right to invite any head of state. Good wishes may his visit be success.
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Feb 04, 2015 07:07am
guys whether Obama visits India or Xi Jinping visits Pakistan quality of life of a common man in India or Pakistan is unlikely to improve; on the other hand it is quite possible that he may sink deeper and deeper into the abyss of debt and poverty. No point fighting over these visits. Lets pray that our politicians behave like statesmen and do something tangible for the future of common men. Increasing the number of billionaires does help an ordinary man be it India, Pakistan or any other country in the world.
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Feb 04, 2015 07:12am
I dont see any news on china not defending Pak a few days ago , when there was a UN resolution supporting a UN convention on comprehensive ban on countries sheltering terror and neither do i see any mention of India's foreign minister getting a direct appointment with chinese premier , an exception accorded to only a few countries . See , a simple thing , if you cant even trust your brother , who can you trust ? "Personal Interests" is the only thing permanent . I dont know when poeple of realize this. God bless you .
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Feb 04, 2015 07:55am
Being India's neighbour has its own benefits, one is senior world leaders according some respect to Pakistan!!
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Feb 04, 2015 08:00am
@Jaanbaaz don't confuse politiical interests with friendship, where nothing is permanent.
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Feb 04, 2015 08:04am
Pakistan is spoilt for choice suddenly it has become most valuable object of appeasement among world powers ranging from US, Russia and China.
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Feb 04, 2015 08:15am
"Sections of the Chinese media are interpreting Ms. Swaraj’s audience with President Xi Jinping as an exceptional gesture from the Chinese side, signalling the importance Beijing now attaches to ties with India."
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Feb 04, 2015 08:21am
@Guest Countries have their interests, not friendships.
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Feb 04, 2015 08:26am
@din remember Chinese president was coming to Pakistan before he went to India, but delayed it due to dharnas.
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Feb 04, 2015 08:29am
@Shaneeza only insecure nations make such statements, an India is one of them. Chinese will be telling Pakistan, what they have squeezed out of India and how Pakistan should do the same.
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Feb 04, 2015 08:36am
It is high time Chinese FM should persuade Pakistan to handover Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Hafeez Sayeed, Dawood Ibrahim etc. to India.
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Feb 04, 2015 10:32am
Check Mate Pakistan.
The Indian FM goes to
China and Chinese FM
comes to Pakistan.
I hope that Pakistani PM
will go greet him
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Feb 04, 2015 11:13am
Go ahead Pakistan...best of luck....
Although i do not understand that why pakistan foreign policy is based on other country... Pakistan should understand it that is should be done in their interest not keeping mind others...India done the agreements in their interest in India-US obama visit... Pakistan should do same... We have approx 100B USD trade with china...Mr. modi will enhanced it as china invite india in BCIM(Bangladesh china india myamar economic corridor) which is very efficient for 21st century in MSR (meritime silk road)....In RIC (Russia India China) foreign meeting in china....China and russia also invite in india in APEC and SCO...
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Feb 07, 2015 03:17am
china needs Pakistan more than Pakistan needs China. Chinese President coming to Pakitan at such short notice proves this.
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