Air Chief Holds Key Meetings During His Visit to China

Islamabad, The Gulf Observer: Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force, called on various dignitaries during his visit to China. In these meetings, the Air Chief called on Chinese Minister of National Defence, Admiral Dong Jun, General Chang Dingqiu, People’s Liberation Army Air Force Commander and Major General Cao Xiaojian, Director General Bureau of Military Equipment & Technical Cooperation (BOMETEC). On his arrival, the Air Chief was warmly welcomed by Chinese military leadership. The visit aimed at enhancing the existing strategic partnership between the two nations, included high-level discussions and agreements geared towards deepening military cooperation. During this historical engagement between the highest level military leadership of the two nations, Chief of the Air Staff said that Pakistan values its strong diplomatic and defence ties with China which are based on convergence on all important issues related to regional peace and security while reiterating strong strategic partnership in the face of shared challenges.

A smartly turned out contingent presented Guard of Honor to Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu on his arrival at the People’s Liberation Army Air Force Headquarters in Beijing, China. The PLAAF Commander expressed his admiration for the professionalism of PAF personnel and praised the remarkable progress made by the Pakistan Air Force through indigenization. Chief of the Air Staff expressed sincere gratitude for the warm hospitality extended by the host country, underscoring the long-standing ties and collaboration between Pakistan and China. He emphasized the importance of enhancing institutional collaboration, joint exercises and high-level exchanges with the People’s Liberation Army Air Force to effectively address shared security challenges. Both Commanders agreed to establish a Joint Working Group to further enhance the existing collaboration between the two Air Forces. The initiative will facilitate the exchange of experiences and best practices, vital for both nations in developing robust Air Force capabilities.

In the meeting with Chinese Defence Minister, Admiral Dong Jun, both the dignitaries reaffirmed their shared commitment to revitalize the existing bilateral ties in military-to-military cooperation and strategic alliance between the two countries. Admiral Dong Jun highlighted that the two militaries have achieved significant progress in areas of strategic communication, joint exercises and training domains. Both sides agreed on enhancing Air Force-to-Air Force cooperation, particularly through complex and aggressive tactical-level scenarios during aerial exercises. The cooperation is aimed at addressing challenges in multiple domains during joint exercises, equipping air and ground crew of both Air Forces with the skills necessary to counter modern Air and Space Warfare challenges effectively.

In a separate meeting with Major General Cao Xiaojian, Director General of the Bureau of Military Equipment & Technical Cooperation (BOMETEC), Chief of the Air Staff highlighted the significance of exploring opportunities for technology transfer and collaborative development of advanced military hardware aimed at enhancing the operational capabilities of both sides. Policy-level decisions were made to increase cooperation in industrial domains, with a focus on identifying weaknesses and bridging gaps in capacity and capability. The Air Chief also met the industrial heads of Chinese Defence Industry. As part of the discussions, Chief of the Air Staff invited Chinese companies to participate in the National Aerospace Science & Technology Park being spearheaded by Pakistan Air Force. He emphasized the importance of fostering joint ventures and corporate-to-corporate collaboration focusing on cutting-edge technologies. The Air Chief highlighted that NASTP offers a tax-free regime and an optimum environment for the development of pioneering initiatives in Unmanned Aerial Systems, Advanced Guided Weaponry, Space Programs, Electronic Warfare domains, Cyber Warfare, ISR as well as multi-domain operations.

This visit of Chief of the Air Staff to China is a testament to the mutual commitment of both countries to deepen their longstanding partnership through continued dialogue and military collaboration, which will yield strategic dividends for both the countries.