Pakistan-China joint naval exercise next Week

Pakistan-China joint naval exercise next Week
Thursday, 17 November 2005

BEIJING (China): Pakistan and China will hold second joint naval exercise next week in the Arabian sea close to Karachi coast. A fleet of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has already left towards the Arabian Sea via northern zone to join the Pakistan Navy.

Credible sources said here that the Chinese naval fleet comprised two ships, a missile destroyer and helicopters. It will be the first ever combined maritime drill by the Chinese navy in alien sea areas, likely to take place from November 21 to 24.

The two navies will focus on items in non-traditional areas, such as joint search-and-rescue operation. A large number of sailors and officers from both sides will take part in the exercise in the efforts to strengthen their decades old military-to-military relations and further enhance their professional skill.

Perspective

The two countries conducted their first-ever exercise in November 2003 near the Shanghai coast. It was the first time Chinese naval forces held a joint exercise with a foreign counterpart since the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Now the Chinese side will be visiting the Pakistan’s seawater to have the similar drill.

Sources say, as a part of long-standing bilateral cooperation in the defence field, the two countries have been maintaining frequent exchanges to benefit from each other experience, strengthening their defence potential.

The cooperation between two navies covered various areas of the mutual interest.

According to a decision taken in July this year, China will provide four F-22P advanced quality frigates to Pakistan by 2013.

Of these, three will be manufactured in China, while one frigate will be built in Pakistan. It is hoped that the first frigate will be available to Pakistan Navy within a period of three and half years.

Besides this, the Chinese side will also provide six medium-size standardised helicopters (Z-9C) to Pakistan Navy.

Source