BEIJING, Sept. 18: Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Ehsanul Haq admired China’s continuous support in meeting Pakistan’s defence and security requirements. “We highly value our defence partnership with China and wish to retain and further strengthen it in the years to come,” he told APP on the last day of his week-long visit to China.

He said: “We consider China as our most reliable friend and partner.”

Gen Ehsanul Haq termed his talks with the Chinese leaders and officials of the People’s Liberation Army productive, and said this contributed to further consolidating their ongoing cooperation in the defence sector and promoting understanding on various issues of common interest.

He said China’s support has been helpful in upgrading Pakistan’s defence industry. The two countries, he said, shared experience and expertise to improve their defence capabilities.

He said the two countries have taken up joint ventures of manufacturing JF-17 thunder aircraft, the Navy’s F-22 B-Frigate, Al-Khalid and Al-Zarar tanks.

Highlighting the significance of the Sino-Pak decades’ old strategic relationship, Gen Ehsan said: “The two countries enjoy a special relationship. They also share common perceptions on regional and international issues.”

China helped Pakistan in security and defence fields consistently and their military-to-military relationship strengthened with the passage of time, he added.

About his visit, he said it was a part of the regular high-level bilateral exchanges, and added that this was his first visit as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.

He said that, however, he had many opportunities to visit this friendly country in the past, and he even had training in China as a young army officer.

To another question, he said Pakistan was concentrating on upgrading its defence industry. “We believe in self-reliance as far as strengthening of our defence industry is concerned. We want to have sure sources of supply as far as the vital field of defence is concerned. Many sources of defence supplies are open to us. We are not depending on one source of supply,” he added.

Sino-Pak relations have always been a great source of building confidence and self-reliance. The armed forces of the two countries worked together in a spirit of safeguarding national sovereignty and promoting regional peace, stability and development.

About joint military exercises, Gen Ehsan said the two countries have successfully carried out exercises in the military and naval fields. “Pakistan is looking forward to have more such exercises in future with the PLA both in China and Pakistan,” he added.

Gen Ehsan said that during his visit he held separate meetings with Chinese Vice Premier Huang Ju, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Central Military Commission General Guo Boxiong and Chief of the General Staff of the PLA General Liang Guanglie.

He said that they assured him that China would make continuous efforts to lift their all-round relations to a new height.

He said that the close and fraternal ties with China constituted a pillar of Pakistan’s foreign policy.—APP