Pakistan-China Defence relations are the “backbone” of ties between Beijing and Islamabad, a senior Chinese official told General Qamar Javed Bajwa, days after a new government in Pakistan questioned the economic feasibility of much-hyped CPEC Project. Is Pakistan-China Defence alliance a guarantee against possible aggression by India and the US?
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General Qamar Javed Bajwa is the most senior Pakistani official to visit China since the new government of Imran Khan took office and his visit comes only about a week after a senior Chinese diplomat visited Pakistan.
Pakistan has intensified relations with China off-late, as the Islamabad has suspected the unpredictable role of the US and its growing bonhomie with arch-rival India.
General Qamar Javed Bajwa also had the role of reassuring Beijing about comments last week by Pakistan’s commerce minister, Abdul Razak Dawood, who question the economic feasibility of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and suggested to suspend the project till the government re-evaluates the design.
Zhang Youxia, a deputy chairman of China’s powerful Central Military Commission which President Xi Jinping heads, reemphasised to General Bajwa that the two countries are “all weather” strategic partners and defence and trade being vital components to it. “China-Pakistan military ties are an important backbone of relations between the two countries,” said Zhang, which could also have been an indirect reference to Pakistan arch-enemy, India.
“The Pakistan and Chinese two armies should further pay close attention to practical collaboration in all areas, keep the capacity to deal with various security challenges and provocations, and join hands to protect the common interests of both the nations.”
He said China appreciated the new Pakistan government’s platform of fully promoting the relationship and that China was willing to work with the new government to accelerate the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
