China and Pakistan have signed a new military memorandum of understandingto boost their already close defence relationship, as China’s DefenceMinister and People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Wei Fenghe metPakistan’s leadership in Islamabad and visited the headquarters of the armyat Rawalpindi.

Gen. Wei on Tuesday met Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi and Prime MinisterImran Khan. He called on both countries to “push the military-to-militaryrelationship to a higher level, so as to jointly cope with various risksand challenges, firmly safeguard the sovereignty and security interests ofthe two countries and safeguard the regional peace and stability,” ChineseState media reported.

On Monday, the two militaries signed an MoU following Gen. Wei’s meetingwith Pakistan’s Chief of the Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, at theGeneral Headquarters, according to reports in the Pakistani media. Both“exchanged in-depth views on the international and regional situations, therelations between the two countries and militaries, the equipment andtechnology cooperation and other issues”, a report in China’s officialmedia said.

While details of the new MoU were not immediately available, it followsanother agreement signed last year, when China’s Vice Chairman of theCentral Military Commission (CMC) General Xu Qiliang visited Rawalpindi fordefence cooperation and “capacity building of the Pakistan Army”.

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Gen. Wei also discussed on-going projects under the China Pakistan EconomicCorridor (CPEC), in which the Pakistani military is playing an increasinglyprominent role.

Prior to Gen. Wei’s visit, recently appointed Chinese envoy to PakistanNong Ronglinka “comprehensive review” of the CPEC projects along with Lt. Gen. AsimSaleem Bajwa (retd.), who is heading the CPEC Authority.

The Chinese Defence Minister also had talks with Pakistan’s Chairman of theJoint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Nadeem Raza, and both sides“reaffirmed their commitment to ‘Iron Brotherhood’ and ‘All-Weather’friendship”. The Hindu