A Pakistan army contingent left for China on Thursday to take part in a joint anti-terror exercise, the military said, in the latest sign of closer relations between the two countries. Special forces from both countries including the Chinese air force, as well as senior military leaders, will join the week-long exercises dubbed Friendship, it said.

President Asif Ali Zardari is scheduled to visit China from July 6 to 11 for talks with President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao. China last month defended its nuclear co-operation with Pakistan as peaceful after the United States sought clarification from Beijing on the sale of two reactors to Islamabad.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2010