Zardari's visit consolidated bilateral ties: China

China on Tuesday said Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's just-concluded visit consolidated and deepened the bilateral ties, but refrained from commenting on any discussion between the strategic partners on its plans to build two new nuclear reactors for Islamabad.

"We believe that this visit of President Zardari has consolidated and deepened the traditional friendship of the two countries as well as boosted friendly exchanges and practical cooperation between the two parties which made it a very successful visit," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told media briefing here replaying to a question.

During the talks between President Hu Jintao and Zardari, the two sides exchanged "in-depth views on further developing China-Pakistan strategic cooperation and international and regional issues of common interests," he said.

"The two sides agreed in consensus that the leaders of the two countries should maintain regular contacts and meetings and deepen economic and trade cooperation, expand people-to-people exchanges and (forge) closer counter-terrorism cooperation as well coordination and cooperation in regional organisations and multilateral forums," Qin said.

Both sides also signed economic and technical cooperation agreements as well as six MoUs in agriculture, public health and media.

However, Qin did not make any reference to any discussion between the two sides on the two 650-mw nuclear power reactors China wants to build for Pakistan.

China maintained a steadied silence about the reactors during Zardari's visit, though the Pakistan President publicly praised Beijing for continuing its nuclear cooperation with Islamabad setting aside objections from international community.

Zardari's press secretary, Faratullah Babar, told the media ahead of his July 6-11 visit here that an agreement relating to the two nuclear power plants had already been signed during the 2009 China tour of the Pakistan President.

The just-concluded visit of Zardari was his fifth to China after he took over as President in 2008.