Pakistani President Gen Pervez Musharraf arrived in Beijing on Monday for his first summit with China's new leadership and sign a number of agreements, including one on nuclear energy cooperation and a bilateral extradition treaty to cement Sino-Pakistani 'all weather' ties.
Musharraf, accompanied by a high-level delegation arrived at the Beijing International Airport from Boao, a city in southern China, where the Pakistani president attended the second annual meeting of the Boao Forum for Asia.
Musharraf will hold summit talks with his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, who is also the general secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China.
"Musharraf will meet and hold talks with Chinese leaders and both sides will exchange views upon enhancing the China-Pakistani relationship, regional and international issues," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said.
"At present, the bilateral relationship enjoys a smooth development and the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries has also born rich fruits," he said.
Diplomatic sources said China and Pakistan are expected to issue a joint declaration and sign a preferential trade agreement (PTA) during Musharraf's visit. The PTA will give each side enhanced access to the other's market and boost bilateral trade.
Other agreements are expected to include expansion of the Saindak Copper Project, a $500 million credit line for new joint venture projects for trade promotion, an extradition treaty and collaboration in power generation projects.
The extradition treaty will entail exchanging prisoners and treating them according to their own respective national laws. It also aims to stem the flow of illegal immigrants and contain narcotics trafficking from Pakistan into China.
It is not clear whether the visit will produce any agreements in the defence sector. Chinese and Pakistani navies held their first-ever joint naval exercises last week off the eastern coast. In September, China and Pakistan launched the jointly produced JF-17 fighter jet, which Islamabad would like to procure in large numbers.
China will help with the Chasma plant, the second nuclear power project in Pakistan built with Chinese help.
