PEKING: Informed Pakistani sources confirmed today [May 29] that Sino-Pakistan talks on military matters were in an advanced stage as a part of the overall discussions between Prime Ministers Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Hua Kuo-feng. After the end of the first day’s plenary talks, two joint Sino-Pakistan groups — on military as well as economic and technical affairs — have been holding more than one session in a day. When these groups finalise their respective reports most probably by this evening or late at night, they will be reviewed by Prime Minister Bhutto, Mr Aziz Ahmed, Mr Agha Shahi and Ambassador Mumtaz A. Alvie on the one hand and their Chinese counterparts on the other. The conclusions reached … will be incorporated in the relevant agreements… .

… Chinese military assistance involving the supply of weapons as well as aid in defence production is governed by two protocols signed in Peking during the visit of Prime Minister Bhutto in 1974. The effort now is not only to look into the implementation of these protocols — which concern all the three defence services — but also to provide for Pakistan’s future needs in this sphere.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2026