Washington:
US President Barack Obama's upcoming trip to China has got the American media buzzing about China's role in Pakistan's nuclear programme.
All eyes are now on what the American president will say while he's over there.
Obama is on a mission to revive America's flagging ties with Asia. His first stop on a weeklong trip is America's closest Asian ally Japan. But on the four-nation tour, it's his visit to China that is already grabbing the headlines.
The Washington Post released explosive and potentially embarrassing disclosures on China's role in Pakistan's nuclear programme ahead of a visit where Obama's only focus was on closing the US-China trade deficit, and convincing China to revalue its currency.
The latest detail in the saga of China and Pakistan's nuclear relationship: In 1976, Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto approached China's supreme leader Chairman Mao in his quest for the nuclear bomb. According to a letter, AQ Khan wrote to a British journalist. China virtually gave two nuclear weapons to Pakistan for free, as the US remained oblivious.
Obama is nothing short of a rock star in China.
"No? I think that Obama is on fire! He's hot right now. Since he became president he has been popping up all over the world. It is great. His policies are trying to contain the global financial crisis? It's all good stuff," said Liu Bolin, Chinese artist.
Beijing warmed to him further when he decided against visiting the Dalai Lama in Washington DC last month.
But now after expressing months of concern over Pakistan's nuclear weapons, the big question is whether Obama will take this up with China, or whether once again, his economic agenda with the Asian giant will overshadow issues like human rights and nuclear proliferation.
All eyes are now on what the American president will say while he's over there.
Obama is on a mission to revive America's flagging ties with Asia. His first stop on a weeklong trip is America's closest Asian ally Japan. But on the four-nation tour, it's his visit to China that is already grabbing the headlines.
The Washington Post released explosive and potentially embarrassing disclosures on China's role in Pakistan's nuclear programme ahead of a visit where Obama's only focus was on closing the US-China trade deficit, and convincing China to revalue its currency.
The latest detail in the saga of China and Pakistan's nuclear relationship: In 1976, Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto approached China's supreme leader Chairman Mao in his quest for the nuclear bomb. According to a letter, AQ Khan wrote to a British journalist. China virtually gave two nuclear weapons to Pakistan for free, as the US remained oblivious.
Obama is nothing short of a rock star in China.
"No? I think that Obama is on fire! He's hot right now. Since he became president he has been popping up all over the world. It is great. His policies are trying to contain the global financial crisis? It's all good stuff," said Liu Bolin, Chinese artist.
Beijing warmed to him further when he decided against visiting the Dalai Lama in Washington DC last month.
But now after expressing months of concern over Pakistan's nuclear weapons, the big question is whether Obama will take this up with China, or whether once again, his economic agenda with the Asian giant will overshadow issues like human rights and nuclear proliferation.
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