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Six decades of relationship: ..

Posted on: Tue March 01, 2011

BEIJING : China and Pakistan have planned a packed schedule of military exchanges for this year, marking the 60th anniversary of establishment of their diplomatic relations. This will include two Chinese naval visits to the Pakistani port city of Karachi in August and October and two joint military exercises, said General Khalid Shameem Wynne, Chairman of Pakistan s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, in an interview.

In addition to the two bilateral army and air force exercises, the two countries will also participate in a multinational naval drill next month.  Another joint counter-terrorism exercise is set to be held in Pakistan next year, General Wynne said in an interview published in China Daily Monday, adding the two countries are working to make the exercise an annual event. A similar drill, led by General Wynne, was conducted in north-western China s Ningxia Hui autonomous region last year.

 We are looking forward to further interaction with the People s Liberation Army (PLA), he added. He pointed out that the two countries are moving forward towards joint development of sophisticated weapons systems, including tanks. He expressed satisfaction with the JF-17 Thunder aircraft programme, jointly developed by China and Pakistan, saying this is one of the leading combat aircraft in the world. The programme is one of the biggest joint projects taking place between the two strategic partners.

The CJCSC on Sunday wrapped up his five-day China visit that took him to Beijing and Shanghai. The major purpose in visiting the country was to co-chair eighth Sino-Pakistani Defence and Security Talks with PLA Chief of General Staff, Chen Bingde.

General Wynne, who visited China for the first time since he was promoted to the rank of general and assumed his present position in October 2010, has termed China-Pakistan bilateral strategic relationship as a stabilising force in the region. During his stay in Beijing, he met Vice-President, Xi Jinping and Minister of National Defence, Liang Guanglie and both sides reaffirmed their determination to consolidate all-weather friendship and deepen pragmatic co-operation.

Courtesy : Business Recorder