ISLAMABAD, Aug 29: President Pervez Musharraf has sought increased Chinese military and economic support, especially to meet Pakistan’s growing nuclear energy needs. Talking to a 17-member delegation of the Communist Party of China which met him on Tuesday, he called for developing close political, economic and defence cooperation between the two countries.

He said Pakistan would welcome Chinese investment in the country’s proposed industrial parks for establishing nuclear power plants.

He said Pakistan had earlier urged the United States and western investors to set up nuclear power plants under International Atomic Energy Agency’s safeguards.

Source said China, which had provided two nuclear power plants of 300 megawatts each, was expected to offer four more plants at the request of President Musharraf to help meet the country’s 8,800MW requirement by 2030.

The sources said the president apprised the Chinese delegation of the latest energy situation in Pakistan with special reference to ongoing power shortage.

The head of the delegation, Liu Yunshan, assured the president that he would apprise his leadership of Pakistan’s military and energy needs.

The sources said he also promised to help increase Chinese investment in Pakistan in various fields, especially infrastructure and power.

The president said it was time to move towards increased bilateral cooperation in all important fields.

He invited Chinese investment in high-tech and heavy industry.

The president invited the Chinese to establish an engineering, science and technology university in Pakistan.

He said that along with upgrading the Karakoram Highway, a railway link, a fibre-optic link and an energy pipeline could be established.

Mr Liu said the Chinese president was looking forward to his visit to Pakistan.

The all-weather friendship that had stood the test of time was a model of friendly collaboration between countries of different social set-ups, he said.

He agreed with President Musharraf’s vision about the course of future cooperation and said it would receive positive examination by the Chinese side.