Chinese and Pakistan Signal the Rest of the World

Dean Cheng / February 25, 2011

This week, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, who is also vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), which oversees the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), met with General Khalid Wynne, Chairman of Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. The meetings, and associated announcements, underscore the close security relationship between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Pakistan.

China and Pakistan have a long history of military cooperation. The Chinese have helped Pakistan develop its indigenous arms industry, and joint ventures between the two states include joint production of the K-8 trainer and FC-1/JF-17 multi-role combat aircraft and Chinese assistance in the development of the Al-Khalid main battle tank. Meanwhile, Chinese investments in Pakistani transportation infrastructure, including the development of Gwadar port and the construction of the Karakoram Highway linking the two nations, are often seen as having national security implications for both nations. (more…)