ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari’s recent visit to China is expected to pave the way for significant defence agreements between Pakistan and its neighbour, including those related to advanced J-20 stealth aircraft and multi-domain command-and-control system.

During the visit, six memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were inked with Sindh government and business-to-business (B2B) partners in sectors such as agriculture, defence, energy, rail links, and farmer training, which will later be extended to other provinces.

This was disclosed by Senator Saleem Mandviwala at a press conference held at the Presidency on Friday.

He said President Zardari was the first head of state ever to be shown the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The president was briefed on China’s latest aerospace capabilities, including the J-10 fighter jet, JF-17 Thunder co-production, J-20 stealth aircraft, UAV technologies, and multi-domain command-and-control systems.

“This visit could pave the way for future agreements for the procurement of advanced defence technologies from China,” he said, adding that Beijing possesses highly advanced defence technology that could benefit Pakistan.

He added that the visit had deepened strategic cooperation, expanded economic partnerships, and opened new avenues of bilateral collaboration between the two countries in diverse sectors.

Flanked by Presidential Spokesperson Murtaza Solangi and Press Secretary Daniyal Gilani, Mandviwala noted this was President Zardari’s second official visit to China since assuming office.“This time, he focused on meetings with mid-level Chinese officials to promote investment and cooperation,” he explained.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2025