Out to consolidate an all-weather friendship indeed

While high-level visits by dignitaries are the hallmark of the strong Sino-Pakistani relationship, Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Pakistan - as part of his first foreign trip after assuming office - is especially important because it takes place at a time when a new leadership is preparing to form a government in Islamabad. Li's three-day visit to India from May 19 has added another dimension to his Pakistan trip.

Reports suggest that some 12 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) will be signed during Li's visit to Pakistan, bringing the number of agreements between the two sides to around 300 in almost all - political, economic and cultural - spheres of life.

In many cases, however, the implementation on MoUs has been quite slow, and one hopes that the issue will be addressed at the highest level of interaction between the two countries.