China, Pakistan trade to reach 15 bln USD by 2015

The Pakistani parliament was informed on Thursday that bilateral trade with China is current over eight billion U.S. dollars and both sides are committed to achieving a trade target of 15 billion U.S. dollars by 2015.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar said in the National Assembly, lower house of the parliament, that friendship with China was the cornerstone of Pakistan's foreign policy, adding "Pakistan considers China to be a factor of stability in the region and beyond".

She said both the countries had developed a comprehensive framework for sustained development of economic and trade relations.

About India, she said that as the result of the meeting of the Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan and India, sidelines of 33rd Session of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Council of Ministers on Feb. 6 in Bhutan, both countries decided to resume the dialogue process.

"This has served to reduce trust deficit and the two countries agreed to resume full spectrum dialogue on all issues," she said.

She also informed that it was agreed to hold secretary level meetings on all segments of the previous "Composite Dialogue", adding that Pakistan's foreign minister would visit India by July this year to review the progress on all issues.

Source: Xinhua

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