China Strengthens Maritime Ties with Pak
The Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission General Fan Changlong has pledged to deepen maritime security and military technology cooperation during his meeting with the Pakistan Navy Chief Muhammad Zakaullah.
Zakaullah said that Pakistan Navy and Chinese Navy are strengthening their existing maritime cooperation keeping in view the changing regional international scenarios.
Zakaullah yesterday met with Admiral Wu Shengli, commander of the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLAN) and said that the navies of Pakistan and China have been cooperating for decades.
The navies of China and Pakistan have been always maintaining close contacts and keeping pragmatic cooperation in fields including exchange of visits, joint exercises, personnel training and anti-terrorism, said Wu Shengli, adding that since 2007, the PLAN has participated in the "Peace" series multinational joint maritime exercises sponsored by the Pakistani navy for four times.
Wu Shengli hoped that the two navies can strengthen exchange and cooperation in fields including anti-terrorism, anti-piracy, disposal of dangerous goods, search and rescue, and humanitarian rescue and disaster reduction, so as to upgrade the joint operation capabilities of the two navies to the maximum extent.
Military cooperation between the two countries is extensive and it covers equipment, personnel exchanges and joint exercises, he added. Zakaullah said Pakistan strongly supported PLAN's enhanced role in the international arena.
The two navies have witnessed steady advance of reciprocal visits among high-ranking officers, pragmatic and in-depth reciprocal visits among warships and highly effective exchanges among academies, and they have vigorously conducted cooperation in carrying out escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off the Somali coast.
Muhammad Zakaullah and his entourage will visit the Naval Engineering University and the East China Sea Fleet of the PLAN, according to sources.
