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Show of support as China hosts Pakistan PM
By Kathrin Hille in Beijing and Farhan Bokhari in Islamabad
Published: May 19 2011 02:09 | Last updated: May 19 2011 02:09
China and Pakistan have closed ranks in a symbolic gesture following the souring of Islamabad’s relations with the US over the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Wen Jiabao, China’s premier, provided badly needed public support to Pakistan on Wednesday, assuring Yusuf Raza Gilani, Pakistan’s visiting prime minister, that “no matter what changes might take place in the international landscape, China and Pakistan will remain for ever good neighbours, good friends, good partners and good brothers”.
Mr Gilani, in turn, massaged Beijing’s ego by saying Pakistan would like to see China take a dominant role in world affairs. “I have no doubt that Chinese sagacity and thought will have a profoundly beneficial impact for mankind, as a whole,” Mr Gilani said. “We are happy to see China shape the 21st-century world.”
China and Pakistan have been firm allies for 60 years but the timing of their meetings this week give their statements of mutual support an extra edge.
China supports Pakistan economically and recently provided a nuclear reactor under a deal criticised in Washington. The two countries also have growing military co-operation, most importantly focused on a joint fighter jet. They signed agreements to expand banking and mining co-operation on Wednesday.
The statements of mutual support have raised hackles in the US Congress, where, in the wake of Pakistan’s failure to root out bin Laden, legislators have called for Washington to rein in the roughly $3bn of aid it provides each year.
Robert Gates, US defence secretary, added on Wednesday that it was his supposition that “somebody knew” in Pakistan the al-Qaeda leader was in the country, while acknowledging the US had no proof against Pakistani officials.
But Mr Gates argued against reducing aid, outlining his opposition to cutting civilian assistance that helped the Pakistani people and stressing that billions of dollars that go to the military are intended to reimburse it for its counterterrorism efforts and are already heavily scrutinised.
“If I were in Pakistani shoes, I would say I’ve already paid a price,” he said, referring to the US Navy Seals’ raid on bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. “I’ve been humiliated. I’ve been shown that the Americans can come in here and do this with impunity.”
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2011. You may share using our article tools. Please don't cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.
FT.com / Asia-Pacific / Pakistan - Show of support as China hosts Pakistan PM
By Kathrin Hille in Beijing and Farhan Bokhari in Islamabad
Published: May 19 2011 02:09 | Last updated: May 19 2011 02:09
China and Pakistan have closed ranks in a symbolic gesture following the souring of Islamabad’s relations with the US over the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Wen Jiabao, China’s premier, provided badly needed public support to Pakistan on Wednesday, assuring Yusuf Raza Gilani, Pakistan’s visiting prime minister, that “no matter what changes might take place in the international landscape, China and Pakistan will remain for ever good neighbours, good friends, good partners and good brothers”.
Mr Gilani, in turn, massaged Beijing’s ego by saying Pakistan would like to see China take a dominant role in world affairs. “I have no doubt that Chinese sagacity and thought will have a profoundly beneficial impact for mankind, as a whole,” Mr Gilani said. “We are happy to see China shape the 21st-century world.”
China and Pakistan have been firm allies for 60 years but the timing of their meetings this week give their statements of mutual support an extra edge.
China supports Pakistan economically and recently provided a nuclear reactor under a deal criticised in Washington. The two countries also have growing military co-operation, most importantly focused on a joint fighter jet. They signed agreements to expand banking and mining co-operation on Wednesday.
The statements of mutual support have raised hackles in the US Congress, where, in the wake of Pakistan’s failure to root out bin Laden, legislators have called for Washington to rein in the roughly $3bn of aid it provides each year.
Robert Gates, US defence secretary, added on Wednesday that it was his supposition that “somebody knew” in Pakistan the al-Qaeda leader was in the country, while acknowledging the US had no proof against Pakistani officials.
But Mr Gates argued against reducing aid, outlining his opposition to cutting civilian assistance that helped the Pakistani people and stressing that billions of dollars that go to the military are intended to reimburse it for its counterterrorism efforts and are already heavily scrutinised.
“If I were in Pakistani shoes, I would say I’ve already paid a price,” he said, referring to the US Navy Seals’ raid on bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. “I’ve been humiliated. I’ve been shown that the Americans can come in here and do this with impunity.”
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2011. You may share using our article tools. Please don't cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.
FT.com / Asia-Pacific / Pakistan - Show of support as China hosts Pakistan PM
Love Them for that !!
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