ISLAMABAD, 23 March 2004 — A top-level Chinese Army delegation arrived in Islamabad on a five-day visit to Pakistan.
It is led by Defense Minister Gen. Cao Gangchuan and includes senior members of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
The visit is a part of the on-going efforts to boost bilateral cooperation in the defense sector.The delegation is scheduled to meet President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, besides other high-ranking civil and military officials.
A senior defense official said in Beijing that the two sides will review the existing cooperation as well as will discuss the future strategy for strengthening their decades-old partnership in the defense sector.
The defense relations between the two countries have always been a great source of building confidence and self-reliance. Their armed forces are working together in a spirit of safeguarding national sovereignty and promoting regional peace, stability and development.
The visit is highly significant, since it takes place soon after the annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s highest legislative forum.
Chinese defense sources said the exchanges and interaction between the two armed forces have increased in the recent years, particularly in the sector of defense production. The Chinese people and their armed forces have always regarded Pakistan as their sincere, reliable and trustworthy friend and brother, the sources said, adding “the Chinese side has always been willing to make joint efforts with Pakistan to go on advancing the army-to-army friendly and cooperative relations”.
