Article Posted on : - Dec 18, 2010

BEIJING (PTI): Terming the JF-17, a combat jet jointly developed by China and Pakistan, as a prized asset, Pakistan has said it would like further cooperation with Beijing in military and civilian aircraft construction.

"The JF-17 is a prized asset for China and Pakistan, and now we have the platform of cooperation. We'd like to further develop it," Masood Khan, Pakistani Ambassador to China, said in an interview with 'China Daily'.

Pakistan would like further cooperation with China in military and civilian aircraft construction, Khan said in an interview which was recorded prior to the current visit of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to Islamabad.

He said the first batch of 42 jets is now being produced in Pakistan, and Islamabad is also "looking for another 200 aircraft (to be produced) in the future."

On the civilian nuclear cooperation between China and Pakistan, Khan said "the nuclear project is an ongoing cooperation between the two countries, and whatever we do is under the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) safeguards and in accordance with international law."

China recently announced its plans to build a one gigawatt nuclear reactor for Pakistan. This is the biggest of the five it committed to build. While two of about 300 mw capacities are ready and two be constructed at Chashma in Pakistan's Punjab province.

United States and India have already expressed their concerns to Beijing over this.

On the infrastructure projects connecting both the countries, Khan said besides upgrading existing roads and enabling them to withstand all weather conditions, Pakistan is also looking for more ways to connect closer to China.

"The feasibility (of linking the two countries through roads) has been confirmed, and though difficult, it is not a pipe dream. I'm sure the next step is within the power of the two governments," he said.