Pak-China joint air exercise concludes

E-Paper | May 02, 2026

BEIJING: Pakistan and China on Saturday concluded joint air exercises held between the air forces of the two countries.

The air exercise, ‘Shaheen IV’, was conducted in China with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) taking an active part.

“The exercise was aimed at enhancing bilateral relationship and defence cooperation between the two friendly neighbours,” said Air Commodore S M Ali, a PAF spokesperson.

Read: Pak-China military relations to reach unprecedented heights: COAS

The PAF spokesperson added that this was the first time that three different types of frontline fighter aircraft from various PAF squadrons participated in the exercise.

It was the fourth exercise in the ‘Shaheen’ series, which commenced on September 12 and concluded on October 3.

PAF's Air Vice Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan and PLAAF's Lieutenant-General Zheng Qun Liang, represented their respective countries in the closing ceremony.

Pakistan and China enjoy very close defence ties and hold military exercises on a regular level. The armed forces of the two countries routinely train together to enhance their skills and to foster better coordination when operating in a joint environment.

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Indian Baba

Oct 03, 2015 08:32pm

Well., this cooperation will grow over time,

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Real Zak

Oct 03, 2015 08:38pm

Natural coordination and feeling of oneness exists between Chinese and Pakistanis, destiny of both nations is one and both will together define future of the world , Pakistan is destined for greatness and future role as world power .

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sana-1

Oct 03, 2015 08:40pm

Very helpful for future war in subcontinent

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Sleepless in Sahiwal

Oct 03, 2015 08:40pm

Thank You Raheel Sharif !

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Kuldeep

Oct 03, 2015 08:42pm

Meanwhile India concluded Naval anti submarine exercise with Australia.

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Gillani

Oct 03, 2015 08:48pm

Perfect way to undermine India's regional hegemony.

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Pixell

Oct 03, 2015 08:56pm

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Sai

Oct 03, 2015 08:59pm

It is surprising to see how the people of your country feel closer to China than to India. There is no common culture, no common religion between the two. The only thing common is that you share the same perceived enemy. Anyways, good relations with a neighbor is always better than bad relations. Wish your friendship grow higher than the planes in this exercise.

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Abdulla Hussain

Oct 03, 2015 09:01pm

Great example of friendship & co-operation. The two nation understands each other well and are playing a positive role in securing peace for the entire world.

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Ahmed USA

Oct 03, 2015 09:14pm

Shaheens of Pakistan..

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Harmony-1

Oct 03, 2015 09:17pm

@Sana-1: Why war? War is no fun!

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subasish

Oct 03, 2015 09:18pm

Good , it is the responsibility of china to provide help and sympathy to pakistan at this juncture widespread disturbance. Usa too doing its part sanctioning the recent aid package.

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A.vjed Iban

Oct 03, 2015 09:23pm

@Sai Usually fighter planes when attacking enemy bases fly at very low level, avoiding radar detection and anti-aircraft missiles that depend on radar to guide them. Javs

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Zak

Oct 03, 2015 09:23pm

Wow! Pak-China rule the airs. This will ensure skies over CPEC remain clear blue.

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Changez_Khan

Oct 03, 2015 09:25pm

Pak-China friendship is forever.

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Glowing Pakistan

Oct 03, 2015 09:33pm

@Sai Its mutual respect and common goals that bring two groups/ countries closer and more closer to each other. That is the case with Pak-China friendship. But truly and unfortunately Pak and Ind has no common goals and not the mutual respect for each other so in present scenario pak-ind friendship is impossible.

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A.vjed Iban

Oct 03, 2015 09:48pm

@Sai You just don't get it. No military fighter pilot would fly his/her attack aircraft "higher". When attacking enemy bases, they must take a flight path which would let them fly at very low, treetop levels, avoiding radar detection so they can reach their targets and carryout the mission successfully. Javs

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Muhammad Arshad

Oct 03, 2015 09:48pm

Very Nice

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Punjabi Indian

Oct 03, 2015 09:52pm

@sana-1 ....Friends...that senario is what the Indian armed forced are preparing for. The billions of dollars that are being invested by the Govt are to give the Indian armed forces the edge in a situation it has to take on an onslought on two of its borders. Pakistan should not feel that an imbalance is being created ...the fact is we have to be prepared to defend ourselves against China though given the trade ties we have with that country that situation will not arise.

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Hawk

Oct 03, 2015 09:57pm

@Sai no common culture, no common people but have common enemy...and pak will do everything to have china along with him, at least need someone to give direction to pak..

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Azhar

Oct 03, 2015 10:03pm

@Sai , I don't believe it is true. India should not be enemy. People of India good people. It is very troubling, Pakistan continually pushed to corner by India. China is putting a lot effort and resources to help it's neighbor who needed every help.

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Akram

Oct 03, 2015 10:04pm

@Sai "It is surprising to see how the people of your country feel closer to China than to India." That is not true. Pakistanis feel close to North Indians. However it is Indian policies which push the Pakistani establishment towards closer military ties with China. As for economic ties like CPEC, that doesn't depend on ties with India at all. For example even if Pak India ties normalise tomorrow, CPEC will still be a major mile stone for Pakistan.

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Battleaxe

Oct 03, 2015 10:08pm

It's about the Su 30 vs J17 exercise then .Everyone around the globe is testing themselves agaist this platform of Su 30 . Chinese lack in avionics so not much of use in BVR type of combat simulation. but in close quarter it is helpful to know capabilities as anything is possible in real time air combat scenario .seems prep has started.

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KASHMIRI

Oct 03, 2015 10:08pm

Long live Pakistan

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Ekram

Oct 03, 2015 10:12pm

@Kuldeep What's your point? Atlanta

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Jai

Oct 03, 2015 10:12pm

@zak brothers & glowing Pakistani--hello friends in my opinion china and Pakistan don't share anything in common other then common enemy India.Chinese are using Pakistan to unrest india, otherwise Chinese wouldn't even care about you.Chinese co-op with Pakistan will be mainly in defense rather then in development programme.Take care Pakistanis.My idea is to have co-op with China in space program, education,health care,infrastructure etc..

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Oct 03, 2015 10:14pm

Chinese are getting more from these exercises as Pakistan pilots were trained by the West l. It offers real simulation to Chinese.

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sami

Oct 03, 2015 10:35pm

@Sai Actually Sai, all of us humans share a lot in common and it is awesome when people of so vastly different cultures, as you point out, come together and become such good friends.

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Saleem USA

Oct 03, 2015 10:46pm

@Glowing Pakistan While agreeing with you, would like to add, our relationship with India is very complicated and an uncomfortable one.

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Bharat932

Oct 03, 2015 11:13pm

@Glowing Pakistan It is understandable that Pak respect China but why China respects Pak is not understood. You can never ask for respect it is always earned. If Pak decides today to work morally without any ill feelings for others it will become dearer to whole world and will gain respect from all over the world.

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Canada

Oct 03, 2015 11:19pm

Pak should merge and share technology, developpment and R&D with China. India is the worlds biggest arms importer. Pak and China can become biggest indigenous arms fabricator and one of the biggest exporters. PK has good anti terrorism knowledge and Israel has a huge market in selling anti terror weaponry and training so why not PK? Israel has created specific weaponry to be used in close quarters and in civilian areas. Military grade weapons are too strong and too big to use in civilian areas.

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Cyrus

Oct 03, 2015 11:24pm

@Stellai .... Good relations with neighbors is better than bad relations with neighbors is what any Chinese would say. They back that up.

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Cyrus

Oct 03, 2015 11:27pm

@A.vjed Iban .... Bombers fly at 30,000 feet. Radar sees

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Cyrus

Oct 03, 2015 11:29pm

@Changez_Khan .... If Pakistan keeps up their end of the bargain.

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Kaka

Oct 03, 2015 11:52pm

@Sai India does not obey or follow her agreement with Pakistan. We have only experienced cheating from India. Just for example, see the coming proposed cricket series. India signed MOU with Pakistan, and what is the end??

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Suraj

Oct 04, 2015 01:27am

@Changez_Khan Dear bro there is no such thing as forever. At this point China and Pakistan have a common " enemy" India . Once China and India workout their problems,Pakistan and China will only be good neighbours. Relationships between countries is ever changing.

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Rao

Oct 04, 2015 03:40am

@Changez_Khan You are right. Once Mr. Dawood Khan ,Pakistan's ambassador to China, prophetically described the relationship between two countries as , " higher than highest mountains, deeper than the ocean, sweeter than honey, and stronger than steel". How prophetic it is all coming true. China and Pakistan may tun out to soul partners and world leaders in 21st century and may reshape the destiny of the world.

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Lucky Star

Oct 04, 2015 03:43am

@Sleepless in Sahiwal Raheel is not air chief nor defense minister. One needs to give credit where it goes. Biased people commit sins.

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Lucky Star

Oct 04, 2015 03:56am

@Sai Pakistan also wants good relations with India but India does not want good relations with Pakistan partly due to its closeness with Israel and right wing Christians and Jewish lobbied driven country USA , and partly due to its fanatic Hindu agenda. India uses its Muslim population to promote good relations with Islamic countries while suppressing its Muslim population. As long as Islamic countries do not see india's double role there will be no change in india's attitude towards Pakistan.

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Darashikoh

Oct 04, 2015 06:02am

@Sai I have a gori friend who just Came back from India and told me that no matter where she went in India they would talk bad about Pakistan. Pakistanis on the other hand are very welcoming of Indians. Ask any Indian who has visited Pakistan. Question is that your media as well as your demagogue leaders have caused all this poison in your minds. Since you guys are the bigger country in this India Pakistan diatribe, it's the Pakistanis who feel threatened and intimidated by the Indian aggression esp their animosity towards Muslims and their affinity to elect a right wing govt. So we should rightfully feel that India is an enemy nation despite our shared histories. Btw that shared history is marred by lots of bloodshed and violence so the way forward is enshrouded by the burden of the blood of our forefathers.

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aswin

Oct 04, 2015 06:05am

@Abdulla Hussain securing peace?? u know that theses two countries r responsible for many problems the world face today, thse two countries only disturb peace

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Rattan

Oct 04, 2015 06:23am

@Zak can't even conduct OIC meeting

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indians

Oct 04, 2015 06:40am

Good job done.Army should be ready

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Zubair

Oct 04, 2015 07:00am

Pak China Friendship,,,Zindabad

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YOUKNOWIMRIGHT

Oct 04, 2015 07:30am

The story says three types of PAF fighter aircraft took part in Shaheen IV, but none are mentioned. The reader is left to note through one of the two accompanying photos that the JF-17 Thunder of the "Bandits" squadron is one type, which the second shows the PLAAF operated its Su27/30. Please be more thorough. (On the sports page, the story on Zimbabwe being awarded the second match on the Duckworth-Lewis method mentioned towards the end that Yasir Shah took career-best figures, but did not mention what they were!) Again, please join the dots for you readers.

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Zak

Oct 04, 2015 07:49am

PAF is only Air Force involved in the Chinese J 22 , stealth project.

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Zulfiqar

Oct 04, 2015 08:59am

Long live Pakistan. Long live China.

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Sonny Afridi

Oct 06, 2015 11:10pm

@Sai we share nothing in common with india

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