China
Wen Jiabao heads to Pakistan to boost trade
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrives in Pakistan on Friday for a three-day visit aimed at boosting trade and investment by finalising $20 billion worth of deals.
Accompanied by a huge business delegation,
Mr Wen will be the firstChinese prime minister in five years to visit the nuclear-armed country on the front line of the US war on al-Qaeda and battling a Taliban insurgency in its northwest.
Coming from talks in India, where relations have been clouded by sensitive trade and territorial issues, his Pakistan leg may be less politically fraught in a country that regards China as its closest foreign ally.
Pakistan says China has already agreed to development projects worth 13.2 billion dollars in energy, agriculture, infrastructure and health, and wants trade to climb from seven billion to 18 billion dollars in five years.
"Up to 20 billion dollars worth of projects with Chinese help have been completed in Pakistan," a Pakistani government official said.
"Work on projects worth 14 billion dollars is continuing at present, while projects of another 20 billion dollars will be signed between the two sides during the visit," he added.
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