BEIJING: China and Pakistan on Thursday pledged to strengthen their military ties and step up defense cooperation to a "new level" during a meeting between Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and top Chinese military officials in Beijing.
"China and Pakistan pledged to strengthen military ties and bring existing cooperation to a new level", Xinhua news agency reported after General Kayani's meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Gen Liang Guanglie.
"China values its traditional friendship with Pakistan," Liang said, adding that Beijing hopes to develop "pragmatic and effective cooperation with Pakistan in national defense arena. He said bilateral "all-weather friendship" held between China and Pakistan is a strategic choice and is in accordance with fundamental interests of both nations. China hopes to safeguard regional peace and stability with Pakistan and contribute to the security and development of two countries, he added.
General Kayani said Pakistan attaches great importance to its relationship with China, adding that both countries have extensive common interests in both international and regional affairs, Xinhua said.
Earlier Pakistan Army Chief held talks with Gen Ma Xiaotian, deputy Chief of Staff of People's Liberation Army (PLA). They exchanged views on regional security and military relations between two countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Hong Lei told a media briefing in Beijing today.
Ma told Kayani that China and Pakistan have established all-weather friendship over a long period of time. The two militaries have conducted all dimensional, wide ranging multi tiered exchanges, Hong said.
The two sides have cooperation in defense security consultation, military drills, personal training, college exchanges, equipment construction as well as non traditional security, Hong said. China would like to enhance strategic communication with Pakistan side and consolidate the foundation so as to advance bilateral relations, he stated.
Pakistan and China also indulged in combined counter terrorism training for their special forces late last year.
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The picture is a masterpiece. Kayan,who in most pics looks like the world is on his shoulders, now i looks like has found his soul mate and the Chinese leaders face is inscrutable so you can't say if he is shaking hands with his friend or his vassal.
@Gabriel:
Well if PAK determines that it is in its best interest not to have good relations with the US then that is what they should do. PAK just needs to be aware of what that decision will mean over time. By the way I believe there was terrorism in PAK long before the US and NATO entered the region.
@Harry Stone
Try to see through the eyes of others, and not yours.
@Harry Stone: seems like you are genuinely concerned about the well being of pakistan by advising pakistanis to make good relations with US whos war on terror has brought every evil to the door step of pakistan.
Why is our chief of staff involved in doing things that are the Prime Ministers Job. Dear Army Chief you belong in the army and as a citizen I want to see you in your military barrack only. Your little memo stint did not work and we do not want you as head of the country so please just stick to your own job descriptions. Also I think news papers like Express Tribune should now post such pictures of army chiefs. It only derails our democratic process.
Bow before your master!
@Harry Stone: infact its america whose doing anything to isolate pakistan and to put the pakistan in the china block
That's is right approach to have more strengthening relationship with Future Super power of world and great neighbor and time tested friend of Pakistan
PAK seems it can not do enough to push the US into the arms of India...It is becoming increasely difficult to determine just what the polices of PAK are going forward.