Zhu promises Chinese support for strategic port in

Zhu promises Chinese support for strategic port in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, May 12 (AFP) -
Pakistan Saturday threw its weight behind China in opposing a US missile defence shield while visiting Premier Zhu Rongji pledged to assist Islamabad in building key transport routes.

In a sign of strengthening ties between the two allies, Zhu told top Pakistani business leaders that China would support the building of a strategically vital sea port at the mouth of the Gulf and a coastal highway leading to the Iranian border.

"China will support Gawadar deep sea port and coastal highway projects," Zhu said during the meeting.

A Chinese communications minister would visit Pakistan soon to "discuss ways and means and to what extent we can extend support to these projects," the official Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) quoted him as saying.

The meeting was attended by senior members of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Pakistani military ruler General Pervez Musharraf who was also present at the lunch meeting lauded the Chinese decision.

"The gracious announcement of the prime minister regarding the Gawadar port and the coastal highway, if found feasible after the visit of the Chinese minister, will form a symbol of Pakistan-China friendship in the new millennium," he said.

Pakistan has carried out a feasibility study of the project and has been seeking international help for the multi-million dollar port which became important after the 1979-89 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Gawadar offers an important sealane for oil traffic from the region and would also provide the shortest route to the Central Asian republics.

A proposed oil and gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Pakistan will also terminate at Gawadar.

"It is considered a most economic and profitable route for products from Central Asia," economic analyst Shahidur Rehman said.

The proposal, which has been in the pipeline for the past two decades, will also improve the economy of Baluchistan, the least developed province in southwestern Pakistan, he added.

Pakistan has started the 750-kilometer (470-mile) coastal highway from the southern port city of Karachi to the Iranian border, but so far only a 250 kilometer stretch has been completed.

Zhu, who held wide-ranging talks with Musharraf on Friday at the start of a five-nation South Asia tour, said Pakistan and China should work together to ensure a just international economic and political order for all developing economies to flourish in.

"The Chinese side is ready to work together with all countries in South Asia including Pakistan and contribute our due share to realizing this goal," he said.

Zhu's visit, the first by a Chinese premier to South Asia in 12 years, coincided with high level US-India talks in New Delhi on President George W. Bush's plan to build a national defence missile shield, that has raised concern in some countries.

Musharraf Saturday gave his first response to the plan, expressing concern that the shield could encite a new arms race.

"We are against any action that re-initiates nuclear and missile race," Musharraf, accompanied by Zhu, said during a visit to the picturesque Shakarparian resort near here.

APP said the general was responding to a Chinese journalist who sought his comments on Washington's planned National Missile Defence (NMD) programme.

Musharraf said China and Pakistan have "commonality of views on all issues," the news agency said.

Bush has announced a proposal to set up a 60 billion dollar NMD, designed to protect the US from missile attacks by what Washington considers "rogue states."