Associated Press
April 17, 2015
China says President Xi Jinping will travel to close ally Pakistan next week for a visit postponed last year amid mass anti-government demonstrations in that country’s capital.
The Foreign Ministry says Xi will visit Pakistan on Monday and Tuesday before traveling to Indonesia.
China and Pakistan have long maintained close political and military relations, based partly on mutual antipathy toward neighbor India.
However, stronger China-India ties have challenged that perception and Xi’s visit seems intended to reassure Pakistan that relations remain robust. Following the postponement of his trip last year, Xi went ahead with a visit to India, with whom China is eager to boost trade and investment.
Xi is expected to oversee the signing of several investment agreements with Pakistan, particularly in the energy and transportation industries.
