China visit was ‘more than satisfactory,’ says PM Gilani
BEIJING, May 22 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani   said his recent visit to China was ‘more than satisfactory’. The prime minister said  that he had met with Chinese top leadership and held important and very useful discussions with them. Prime Minister Gilani in a video interview with “China Big Talk” programme of major English language China Daily newspaper before leaving for home said that his visit was ‘more than satisfactory’.
Mr. Gilani said that he has been to China several times in the past.
He visited China as a Speaker of National Assembly, and also had the honour to be Minister-in-waiting for former Prime Minister of China Mr. Le Ping.
As prime minister, he said this is his fourth visit, but this is his first official visit.
In fact this visit was part of celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Pakistan- China diplomatic relationship for which Premier Wen Jiabao had invited him during his visit to Pakistan last year, he added.
He said at that meeting both the prime ministers decided to designate 2011 as the year of friendship and chalked out various celebrations for establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Prime Minister Gilani pointed out that during the visit he and his delegation attended a Cultural Forum,  Pakistan-China Entrepreneur Forum, met  Chinese leadership, top bankers and entrepreneurs.
The Prime Ministeri said that he has had very useful and important discussions in Beijing.
“We have lot of cooperation between China and Pakistan”, said Prime Minister Gilani while  commenting on cooperative agreements signed between the two sides.
These pacts included defence, energy, agriculture, science and technology and many other sectors.
He said there are number of areas where we have been cooperating with each other.
The Prime Minister on his visit which took place soon after Osama Bin Laden’s killing in Pakistan said that the visit was planned well before the Abbottabad incident.
He said that Pakistan has excellent relations with China adding that high level visits between the two countries always improve relationships, therefore “Certainly my visit would enhance our relationship”.
Pakistan and China have multidimensional cooperation in various areas, said Prime Minister Gilani, but our main focus this time was more on strengthening economic ties.
About the challenges being faced by Pakistan after the killing of Osama Bin Laden, the Prime Minister said that his country is fighting the war on terrorism adding that this is not our issue alone but a global one and should be looked at as an international issue.
“To fight terrorism is not an easy task. It is an extremely difficult task,” he remarked.
The Prime Minister pointed out that Pakistan in this connection is paying a heavy price both in the form of human causality as well as losses to its economy.
In the process of this war, Pakistan, has sacrificed thirty thousand people and five thousand soldiers.
“We have to face that threat,” therefore, Gilani said the world should understand and come forward to strengthen our capacity to fight this menace.
The international community, he said, should recognize Pakistan’s sacrifices.