China sends warplanes & personnel to Pakistan for joint military drills near India border

A batch of Chinese air force personnel left for Pakistan on Monday to participate in a joint exercise to deepen practical cooperation and improve the actual-combat training level of the two sides, the Chinese military said.

The troops left for Pakistani Air Force's airbase in Bholari at Thatta district in Sindh, northeast of Pakistan's port city of Karachi, to participate in the drills named "Shaheen (Eagle)-IX", a statement issued by China's Defence Ministry said. The joint air force exercise, which will be held close to the Gujarat border is said to conclude in late December and is a project within the 2020 cooperation plan of the two militaries.

'Development of China-Pakistan military relationships' 

"It will promote the development of China-Pakistan military-to-military relationships, deepen practical cooperation between the two air forces, and improve the actual-combat training level of the two sides," it said. The first such drill was held in Pakistan in March 2011. All-weather friends, China and Pakistan share close military ties. China helps Pakistan to jointly produce JF-17 fighter jets and other armaments.

The drill comes in the backdrop of the ongoing India-China border friction along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh and Pakistan miserably failing to send terrorists across the Line of Control (LOC) before winters settle in. 

The Chinese Defence ministry did not reveal the number or type of the aircraft or list of the training programs. According to Chinese state media, the last time such an exercise was held in Northwest China in August 2019 and lasted for half a month. The training in 2019 involved some 50 aircraft, the most personnel and the most complete combat units, it said.

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On December 1, Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe met with Pakistan's President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan during his visit to the country. Wei said that China is willing to work with Pakistan to maintain close communication, enhance strategic mutual trust and coordination, push military-to-military relations to a closer level, jointly respond to various risks and challenges, and firmly uphold the sovereignty and security interests of the two countries as well as regional peace and stability.

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