Wen Jiabao, who was speaking on the last day of his three-day trip, also praised Pakistan's efforts against international terrorism. He called upon the international community to do more to help Pakistan in its fight against militancy.

"Let's stand together, with a new confidence and begin a new era of progress and prosperity by jointly confronting all challenges," Jiabao said. "China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic partners and share the sorrows and joys of each other as close brothers."

He said "the Chinese government and people will firmly stand by you to face all challenges together," from economic difficulties to natural disasters.

Jiabao said "China would fulfill all promises made to Pakistan" regarding help to rebuild the damaged infrastructure after the country's devastating floods in the past year.

Jiabao's visit is seen as a major consolidation and balancing of regional relationships for the communist leadership. Reconfirming China's commitment to Pakistan comes as China greatly improves its ties with India, despite having continuing remote border issues with the subcontinent nation.

China, with around $60 billion of exports, has risen to be India's largest trading partner. That sum is expected to rise by 2015 to around $100 billion after discussions last week between China and India.

China is targeting Pakistan's energy, transport and infrastructure sectors for its inward investment and during Jiabao's visit the two countries agreed to clinch $10 billion of business.

Jiabao said Pakistan is well-placed to boost its exports to China. He pointed to the fact that Pakistan has agreed that the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China can open branches in Pakistan at Islamabad and Karachi.

China also will consider some form of currency swap deal with Pakistan but Jiabao gave no details.

Beijing has targeted 500 scholarships to Pakistani students within the next three years to study in China. Chinese doctors will perform around 2,000 cataract operations for Pakistanis in the next two years.

His visit comes after a United States strategic review of the Afghan war said Pakistan must do more to beat terrorists and religious militants operating within its borders.

The Pakistan visit also is at the same time as Beijing woos Bangladesh, the impoverished nation east of India.

China is to expand transport, energy and manufacturing exchanges and cooperation agreements with Bangladesh, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping said during a meeting in Beijing with Khaleda Zia, former prime minister of Bangladesh.

"It's a constant policy of the Chinese Party and government to consolidate and develop relations with Bangladesh, as part of China's good-neighborly and friendly foreign policy," Jinping said.

Zia is heading a delegation of the Bangladesh's Nationalist Party to China.

She said the Nationalist Party would oppose interference in China's domestic affairs by another country and abide by the one-China policy, a reference to Beijing's claim to Taiwan as part of a greater China under communist rule.

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