Kathmandu, April 29: China on Wednesday made a spirited bid for increasing engagement with SAARC as it rolled out the red carpet for officials to Beijing and announced a hefty sum for the SAARC Development Fund (SDF).
China, an observer at SAARC, was represented by its Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Guangya who pledged $300,000 to SDF. Guangya invited SAARC Secretary General to visit China. He also invited officials for trade gatherings in Beijing. He said China hoped SAARC would contribute more to regional peace, stability and development and that his country would continue “dialogue and cooperation” with it in this direction.
Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit, when asked whether Islamabad sees a more active role by China in SAARC, said, “Why not? Yes, we would like to.”
—-Agencies