China on Thursday vowed to take its military ties with Pakistan to a “new high” and defended its nuclear cooperation with Islamabad to build two new reactors for the country.
Terming the defence ties between the two countries as “all weather” the Chinese officials said both Beijing and Islamabad had “pledged” to strengthen these ties” after a meeting between the visiting Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and the defence minister Liang Guanglie.
Gen. Kayani heading a high level Pakistani military delegation is currently on a five day visit to China.
“Cooperation between the Chinese and Pakistani armed forces is exemplary and has been fruitful,” Mr Liang, also a state councillor, said during the meeting held at the Diaoyutai Guest House. “China would join hands with Pakistan to bring military relations to a new high,” the Chinese defence minister was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
The minister also said that the two countries should make continuous efforts to boost their joint defence programmes. His remarks assume significance as Pakistan and China are collaborating in the manufacture of advanced fighter aircraft.
Gen. Kayani is also scheduled to meet the vice-chairman of China’s Central Military Commission Guo Boxiong and also hold talks with Chinese state councillor and minister for public security Meng Jianzhu. As the two countries were holding military level talks a Chinese spo-kesman claimed that its nu-clear cooperation with Pakistan was peaceful. —PTI
***
46 die in China rain
Beijing : At least 46 people died and 50 were reported missing following heavy rains in China’s southern regions which continued for the past five days, affecting millions of local residents.
Flash floods and landslides caused by the heavy rains have brought about casualties and economic loss in 74 county-level cities in six southern provincial-level regions, including Fujian, Guangdong, Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangxi and Sichuan, the China’s civil affairs ministry said here. —PTI