Beijing: Chinese Defense Minister General Li Shangfu on Monday told Pakistan Navy Chief Amjad Khan Niazi that the two all-weather friends should explore new areas of military cooperation and jointly safeguard their security interests and territory. Li said that military-to-military relations are an important part of China-Pakistan relations, and cooperation between the two sides in various fields, including between the two navies, has achieved good results.
Li said the militaries of the two countries should expand exchanges to new areas, highlight new cooperation and work together to safeguard the security interests of the two countries and the region, a Defense Ministry statement said here. should do. Observers say that China-Pakistan military cooperation has focused more on the navy in recent years as China gradually increased its naval presence in India’s backyard, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea, where it controls Pakistan’s Gwadar port. is developing
Admiral Niazi told Chinese media during his visit that apart from receiving four modern naval frigates from China, Pakistan would also get eight Chinese submarines as part of modernization efforts. Indian Navy chief Admiral Kumar said last month that Pakistan Navy is modernizing itself at a good pace and wants to become a 50-platform force in 10-15 years, and they are adding new corvettes and frigates to their fleet.
Niazi’s visit comes amid reports of leaked documents revealing deliberations in Pakistan’s establishment on Pakistan’s deepening economic and political crisis and moving closer to the US to balance ties with China this month amid high-level talks between the two countries. part of the tours.
Earlier this month, Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir made his first visit to Beijing, during which he met senior Chinese generals and top diplomat Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee .
During General Munir’s visit, China’s new Premier Li Qiang also had his first phone call with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and pledged to continue financial assistance to Pakistan which is facing severe political and economic crisis. Subsequently, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang visited Islamabad on May 5-6, during which he also met Army Chief General Munir.
Reports in the US and Pakistan media circulated, quoting two Pakistani memos, pointing to a deliberation in the country’s political and military establishment to open ties with the US to balance ties with China.
In a memo, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar warned that Pakistan “can no longer try to maintain a middle ground between China and the United States.”