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China’s military
ChinaMilitary

China plans to boost naval ties with Pakistan. How will India respond?

  • Chinese and Pakistani navies should ‘expand into new fields of cooperation’, Defence Minister Li Shangfu tells Pakistan’s chief of naval staff
  • Move seen as likely to irk India, which opposes any military aid to Pakistan and is vying with China for regional influence

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Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu has called for the militaries of China and Pakistan to “work together to safeguard the security interests of both countries and the region”. Photo: EPA-EFE
Kristin Huang
China wants to boost naval cooperation with Pakistan to increase its presence in the Indian Ocean, as both countries seek to more effectively contain India, analysts said.
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They said that with China expected to help modernise the Pakistani armed forces through weapons sales and training, the move was also likely to irk India, given it frowns upon military aid to rival Pakistan.

The assessment came as Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu told the Pakistani chief of naval staff that their navies should “expand into new fields of cooperation” to boost their capacity to safeguard regional security.

Meeting Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi in Beijing on Monday, Li said the relationship between their militaries was an important part of bilateral ties.

“The militaries of the two countries should expand new exchange areas, create new cooperation highlights, and work together to safeguard the security interests of both countries and the region,” Li told Niazi, according to state news agency Xinhua.

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Niazi said the Pakistan Navy was willing to establish closer cooperation with its Chinese counterpart, and jointly safeguard regional security and stability.

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