NPC to approve treaty of Sino-Pakistan friendship
Pakistan Times Federal Bureau Report

BEIJING (China): China’s top legislature, Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) during its six-day session, to be started here Tuesday, will consider and approve a Treaty of Friendship with Pakistan.

Official sources said in Beijing that the NPC will consider a heavy agenda, including the Sino-Pak friendship treaty that was signed by Premier Wen Jiabao and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in Islamabad April this year.

Chinese State Council (Cabinet) will formally present the treaty before the NPC for its formal consideration and approval.

“We consider the treaty, as an important document further consolidating strategic partnership between the two traditional allies,” the sources said adding, the treaty envisages a clear and unambiguous, categorical assurance by the Chinese government to defend Pakistan’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

Spirit of Treaty

Under the treaty, both countries are committed to support each other’s efforts to safeguard their territorial integrity. It encapsulated the successful experience of bilateral relations in more than half a century and charted the course for future development.

The treaty says to strengthen the overall good-neighborly friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between the Contracting Parties is not only in the fundamental interest of the two countries and the two nations, but also conducive to regional and global peace, stability and development.

It reaffirms that the Joint Declaration between China and Pakistan signed by President Hu Jintao and President Pervez Musharraf in 2003 is of guiding significance to deepening the bilateral relationship.

Under the treaty, the two countries will actively develop and consolidate the bilateral strategic partnership of good-neighborly friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation in accordance with the universally recognized principles and norms of international law and on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

Both sides agreed to maintain a regular high-level strategic dialogue.

Principle of Non-encroachment

They will adhere to the principle of non-encroachment on national territories and boundaries in international law and strictly observe the boundary agreements between the two countries.

They resolved to maintain lasting peace and friendship for generations to come in the border areas between the two countries.

Each country shall not join any alliance or bloc which infringes upon the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the other Contracting Party, nor shall it take any action of this nature including the conclusion of treaties of this nature with a third country.

They will not allow their territory to be used by a third country to jeopardize the state sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the other Contracting Party.

Eeach country shall prohibit, on its own soil, the establishment of organizations or institutions which infringes upon the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the other contracting party.

Emphasis

The treaty emphasized that Pakistan and China will, in accordance with their domestic laws, such as extradition treaty, anti-drug agreement and other bilateral agreements and their respective international obligations, cooperate on both bilateral and multilateral basis to crack down on terrorism, separatism and extremism, as well as such activities as organized crimes, illegal immigration and illegal trafficking in drugs and weapons.

It reiterates that two countries will enhance and consolidate trust and cooperation in the military and security fields to strengthen their security.●