The Pakistani military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, has ended a visit to Beijing after talks with Chinese leaders.

They made it clear that relations would not be changed by the coup which brought him to power last October and extended the repayment term for a number of loans.

General Musharraf thanked them for their support and said China was Pakistan's most reliable and trusted friend.

As the visit ended, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman called on India and Pakistan to halt their arms race and settle their differences over Kashmir through dialogue.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service