China’s president Hu Jintao and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari signed a series of agreements in Beijing yesterday intended to boost ties between the countries, AP reported. The two countries signed 11 deals on economic and technical cooperation, minerals, environmental protection, satellite purchases, agricultural research and electricity. No details of the agreements were provided. There was no mention of a deal regarding civilian nuclear technology, which Pakistani media had speculated Zardari would seek from Beijing. Zardari, husband of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, is on a four-day trip to China, his first since taking office in September following Bhutto’s assassination. Bilateral trade between China and Pakistan was over US$7 billion last year and is targeted to reach US$15 billion by 2011.