Pakistan’s Darkest Hour – China Confidential

From China Confidential:

As if to highlight China’s close ties to Pakistan, on the same day that Pakistan’s former Prime Ministter, Benazir Bhutto , was assassinated, Xinhua reported that the two countries deepened their business relationship. The Pak-China Investment Company, the first joint venture between Pakistan and China in financial sector, was launched Thursday in eastern Pakistan’s Lahore city.

The 50/50 joint venture will perform investment banking business on commercial basis in the financial, infrastructure, services, mining, industrial manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors in Pakistan with registered capital of $200 million. Regarding the assassination, Xinhua said Foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said China “is shocked at the killing of Pakistan’s opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and strongly condemns the terrorist attack.” [Full Text]