Beijing - China's main stock market index lost more than 4 per cent on Thursday as shares followed the global fall after more bad news from Wall Street on Wednesday.

Beijing/Islamabad, Oct. 16 : Pakistan’s long-deteriorating financial situation has prompted it to approach cash rich China for help in shoring up its economy.

According to a Washington Post report, With the global financial crisis draining coffers in the United States and Europe, the key U. S. ally in the war on terrorism is seeking help from an old friend newly flush with cash: China.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is in Beijing on a four-day state visit, and he is likely to seek between four to six billion dollars from China to tied over his country’s economic crisis in the short term.

Beijing, Oct 16 : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, who is on a visit to China, signed as many as 11 agreements with his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao last evening. The agreements, memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and protocols to enhance bilateral co-operation in trade, energy, infrastructure, agriculture, industry, mining, telecommunication, disaster relief and space technology.

On the occasion, Zardari also offered “preferential treatment” to Chinese investors.

Beijing, Oct 15 : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari met his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao here on Wednesday as he looked towards inking a series of agreements, including on civilian nuclear cooperation and securing a financial aid package.

During the visit, Beijing and Islamabad are expected to sign a possible deal on civil nuclear power cooperation.

Beijing  - Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari held talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao on Wednesday as the two nations signed economic cooperation agreements covering satellites, trade, mining, agriculture and other sectors.

State media quoted Hu as saying that Zardari's family were "all old friends of the Chinese people" and praising Zardari's late wife, Benazir Bhutto, and her father, Ali Bhutto, for their "outstanding contributions to the opening and development of China-Pakistan relations."

London, Oct 15 : China will transform itself into a working democracy in just over a decade, according to one of the country’s most influential reformers.

Zhou Tianyong, an adviser to the Communist Party’s Central Committee and one of its most liberal voices, said that “by 2020, China will basically finish its political and institutional reforms.”

“We have a 12-year plan to establish a democratic platform. There will be public democratic involvement at all government levels,” he added.

Zhou also predicted of “extensive public participation in policy-making, such as drawing up new legislation.”