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Pakistan gets help from China for ailing economy
2008-10-15
Pakistan's president Wednesday won more help from longtime ally China as his country grapples with an ailing economy and chronic electricity shortages, though the prospect of a much anticipated civilian nuclear deal remained uncertain. Pakistani media have speculated that President Asif Ali Zardari would seek a nuclear power deal with China after neighbor and nuclear archrival India secured a similar pact with the United States. Zardari and Chinese President Hu Jintao attended a signing ceremony here for 11 agreements, including deals on economic and technical cooperation, minerals, environmental protection, satellite purchases, agricultural research, and electricity. However, no specifics of the deals were released, and there was no mention of a civilian nuclear deal. Pakistan has argued in vain for equal treatment from Washington after India secured an agreement allowing American businesses to sell nuclear fuel and technology to India for use in civilian programs. Pakistan is desperately seeking assistance to alleviate an economic crisis brought on by higher oil and food prices. Increased expenses have pushed inflation to 25 percent, wrecking the government's finances and exacerbating a trade gap that is fast eating up the country's foreign currency reserves. Rising demand and inadequate energy infrastructure in Pakistan has led to nationwide electricity outages, fueling protests. Residents must contend with up to 10 hours a day of power outages, though officials are trying to maintain supplies to factories. Compounding the problems, al-Qaida and Taliban militants are using Pakistan's tribal areas as bases from which to attack U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, spurring U.S. frustration with Pakistan. Cross-border U.S. raids have strained ties with Pakistan. Zardari is on a four-day trip to China, his first official bilateral visit since taking office in September. Pakistan and China have been close allies for decades, and China is a leading source of investment and arms supplies for Pakistan. Bilateral trade between the two topped $7 billion last year, with a goal of reaching $15 billion by 2011. Both nations have also fought border wars with rival India. "The only way I could do justice to the memory of my late wife and my late father-in-law was to make sure that I made my first president's trip to China as my official visit," Zardari told Hu during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People. Zardari's wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was killed in a bombing last year, and his father-in-law, Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, "are old friends of the Chinese people,"' Hu replied. The two "made important contributions to the initiation and development of China-Pakistan relations in their lifetime. This is something we will never forget," Hu said before the two leaders went into private meetings. Experts say a nuclear agreement with Pakistan would need to overcome significant political uncertainties in the South Asian country. "The political situation is so uncertain, nobody quite knows how strong the radicals are ... I would be surprised if the Chinese made a concrete offer," said Rajesh Basrur, an associate professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Basrur said members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group states would also need to approve the deal. The group restricts nuclear trade with states that have not signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty or don't have comprehensive safeguards. Zardari was scheduled to hold talks with other top Chinese leaders, including Premier Wen Jiabao. Zardari easily won the presidency last month after longtime U.S. ally Pervez Musharraf quit under threat of impeachment.
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