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16 December 2010
Last updated at 23:47 ET
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is to begin a official visit of Pakistan, aimed at improving military and trade ties.
Mr Wen will arrive in Pakistan after a three-day visit to India, Pakistan's nuclear-armed neighbour and rival.
The two sides are expected to sign business deals worth up to $14bn (£9bn), reports say.
China, one of Pakistan's oldest allies, is also expected to extend assistance in developing a deep-water, strategic port on the Arabian Sea.
During Mr Wen's visit to India, companies from the two countries signed business deals worth $16bn.
China is India's largest trade partner, with bilateral trade expected to touch $60bn during this fiscal year.
On Thursday, the two countries set a new $100bn bilateral trade target by 2015.
But it invests seven times more in Pakistan and is helping the country build nuclear reactors.
Correspondents say Mr Wen will seek to assure Pakistan that its efforts to improve ties with India will not come at the cost of an old ally.
"China still looks at Pakistan and India through the same lens," analyst Hamayoun Khan told Reuters news agency.
"The US considers Pakistan as part of Af-Pak and India as a separate country, which is not taken well in Pakistan."
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Mr Wen will arrive in Pakistan after a three-day visit to India, Pakistan's nuclear-armed neighbour and rival.
The two sides are expected to sign business deals worth up to $14bn (£9bn), reports say.
China, one of Pakistan's oldest allies, is also expected to extend assistance in developing a deep-water, strategic port on the Arabian Sea.
During Mr Wen's visit to India, companies from the two countries signed business deals worth $16bn.
China is India's largest trade partner, with bilateral trade expected to touch $60bn during this fiscal year.
On Thursday, the two countries set a new $100bn bilateral trade target by 2015.
But it invests seven times more in Pakistan and is helping the country build nuclear reactors.
Correspondents say Mr Wen will seek to assure Pakistan that its efforts to improve ties with India will not come at the cost of an old ally.
"China still looks at Pakistan and India through the same lens," analyst Hamayoun Khan told Reuters news agency.
"The US considers Pakistan as part of Af-Pak and India as a separate country, which is not taken well in Pakistan."
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