China might give cash-strapped Pakistan 6 billion dollars

China's President Xi Jinping (right) shakes hands with Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan. Pic/AFP

China on Friday reportedly agreed to provide USD 6 billion in aid to cash-strapped Pakistan to minimise its dependence on an IMF bailout package as Prime Minister Imran Khan on a maiden visit here held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Khan, who arrived here in the early hours on Friday on a four-day visit, met Xi in the Great Hall of People where the two leaders also held one-on-one meeting besides delegation-level talks, Pakistan media reports said. Pakistan is expected to receive USD 6 billion economic package from China during the visit, Pakistan's Geo TV reported.

A loan of USD 1.5 billion is also expected to be offered, along with an additional package of USD three billion for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the report said. The loan and the investments were reportedly part of the USD six billion package. There is no official comment from Beijing yet on the report.

This is the second USD 6 billion package which Khan has managed to obtain in the last few weeks. Earlier during his visit to Saudi Arabia, Riyadh committed USD 6
billion funding.

China's behaviour troubling: Bolton
China is engaging in a behaviour that is troubling a lot of nations in the region, including India and Japan, US National Security Advisor John Bolton said. "China's current policies, like in the South China Sea, are nearly belligerent in many respects. It is also engaging in a behaviour that is troubling to Japan, Taiwan, India and the Central Asian Republics," Bolton said on Wednesday.

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