Pakistan President to visit China next week

Musharraf's four day trip will include a stop at Beijing, where he will meet President Hu Jintao.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will visit China next week, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

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His February 19-23 trip will include a stop at Beijing, where he will meet President Hu Jintao, said ministry spokesman Kong Quan.

It is a "very important state visit," Kong said at a regular briefing.

Pakistan and China have been allies for decades and Beijing is Islamabad's biggest arms supplier.

In the past, Beijing has been accused by Western nations of providing Islamabad with advanced ballistic missiles.

Pakistan, which has developed medium- and long-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, denies the charge and says its program is homegrown.