China’s President Xi Jinping, bearing promises of more than $45bn in infrastructure investment, began a visit to Pakistan yesterday that will strengthen economic and military ties between Beijing and its nuclear-armed south Asian ally, launch a Chinese diplomatic drive in Asia and underline the waning influence of the US in Islamabad.
一名当地警察站在巴基斯坦总统马姆努恩•侯赛因（左）、中国国家主席习近平（中）和巴总理纳瓦兹•谢里夫（右）的画像前Eight Pakistani JF-17 fighter jets — jointly manufactured by Pakistan and China — escorted Mr Xi’s presidential aircraft in Pakistani airspace. The JF-17 is among the most visible signs of Chinese support for Pakistan following a US decision in 1990 to block the sale of its F16 military jets because of concerns over Islamabad’s nuclear programmes.
中国国家主席习近平昨日带着逾450亿美元基础设施投资的承诺，对巴基斯坦展开国事访问，此行将加强北京与这位拥有核武器的南亚盟友之间的经济和军事联系，启动中国在亚洲的外交努力，同时凸显出美国在伊斯兰堡影响力减弱。
Pakistan will be the first testing ground for Beijing’s regional economic strategy known as the Silk Road Economic Belt, a concept first announced by Mr Xi during a visit to Kazakhstan in 2013. It has since been renamed One Belt, One Road and is designed to promote regional stability, expand China’s economic footprint and boost China’s exports through a combination of commercial investment and aid.
习近平的专机进入巴基斯坦空域后，8架中巴联合生产的巴基斯坦空军JF-17（中国称为“枭龙”，代号FC-1）战机升空护航。1990年美国出于对伊斯兰堡核武计划的担心，决定叫停对其出售F16战机，随后中国向巴基斯坦提供支持，JF-17就是最显眼的标志之一。