Article

2011-05-17 India-Pakistan

Pakistan plays China card with Prime Minister's visit

Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani's visit to China from Tuesday allows Islamabad to show it has another major power to turn to just as relations with the United States have faced intense strain after the killing of Osama bin Laden.

The visit is part of long-planned celebrations for 60 years of diplomatic ties but the vows of support from Beijing will be especially timely for Islamabad.

"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 told China's Xinhua news agency before leaving for China.

"To test a friend whether true or not, it needs time and means under crisis," he said.

"This visit will be a show for the U.S., the Pakistani public and the wider world that Pakistan has other options," said Andrew Small, a researcher at the German Marshall Fund think tank in Brussels who has studied China's role in Pakistan.

Posted by tipper 2011-05-17 12:20|| || Front Page|| [11129 views ] Top

#1 What would be the downside of giving Pakistan to the Chinese? I can't see any.

Posted by Penguin 2011-05-17 12:27|| 2011-05-17 12:27|| Front Page Top

#2 For us? not much, at least immediately. For India, lots. And the Pakis would find, after a while, that the Han chinese have just as much respect for their rich cultural traditions as they do for the Tibetans'.

Posted by mojo 2011-05-17 12:38|| 2011-05-17 12:38|| Front Page Top

#3 ...yes, Rage Boy(tm) would find a down side [like ten feet under] when he tried the usual crap on the Han, as his brethren have already discovered in the present western territories of the ~~Empire~~ People's Republic.

Posted by Procopius2k 2011-05-17 17:04|| 2011-05-17 17:04|| Front Page Top

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