China on Tuesday praised Pakistan for its "great sacrifices" in the fight against terrorism and pledged "unswerving support" for its long-term ally. "Pakistan has made important contributions in fighting terrorism and made great sacrifices," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters.
"The Chinese government will unswervingly continue to support Pakistan's efforts to fight terrorism," Jiang said ahead of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani's five-day visit to China, scheduled to begin later Tuesday. Jiang urged other nations to "strengthen co-operation with Pakistan and provide further help to the country."
"We are proud to have China as our best and most trusted friend and China will always find Pakistan standing beside it at all times," Gilani said on Monday. China was the first nation to show the Pakistani government its "support and solidarity" after the killing of Osama bin Laden by US forces in northern Pakistan, he told the Chinese government's Xinhua news agency.
Gilani told the agency he planned to promote defence and intelligence co-operation with China as well as the expansion of economic, cultural and education links. His visit was scheduled to begin in Shanghai and was timed to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and the People's Republic of China.
Gilani was scheduled to hold his main talks with Premier Wen Jiabao in Beijing on Tuesday, following which the two sides were expected to sign several agreements. The semi-official Associated Press of Pakistan reported that planned bilateral agreements covered fields including defence, banking and economic co-operation.
It said Masood Khan, the Pakistani ambassador to China, would visit the Chinese Academy of Space Technology and the China Great Wall Industry Corporation, which is making the PAKSAT-1R satellite scheduled for launch on August 14, Pakistan's independence day.