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ISLAMABAD: China and Pakistan signed a total of 18 agreements on Friday here, including the signing of a free trade area (FTA) agreement, as presidents of the two countries promised to raise their friendship to a new level.

Visiting China's President Hu Jintao (C) waves to the media as Pakistani President pervez Musharraf (L) looks on at a military base in Rawalpindi near Islamabad November 23, 2006. [Reuters]

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Besides the FTA agreement, the two countries also signed the five-year economic and trade development programme, which is the first-ever agreement for China to sign with another country and also expected to give a boost to their economic relationship. Bilateral trade grew nearly 40 per cent last year to reach US$4.26 billion.

Visiting President Hu Jintao and his Pakistan counterpart Pervez Musharraf believed that bilateral economic co-operation have great potentials given the fact that the two sides are "all-weathered friends."

Other agreements covered areas such as telecommunications, infrastructure, science and technology, culture, health and defense. China agrees to the establishment of a Consulate General of Pakistan in Southwest China's Chengdu city.

After the close-door meeting, the two presidents witnessed the signing of agreements, which did not include the speculative agreement on helping Pakistan to build new nuclear power station.

President Hu told the press conference that the two countries had reached understanding on future co-operation in energy sectors, including hydropower, coal-based power generation and new sources of energy.

"As you know, China and Pakistan have already developed good co-operation in the development of the Chashma nuclear power plant. In the future, we will continue to carry out our co-operation," said Hu.

At present, the China-Pakistan nuclear energy co-operation is mainly on the Chashma nuclear station for electricity generation. China has completed the first stage of the Chashma nuclear power station and the second stage is still under construction.

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