Chinese military says its top General's visit to Pakistan 'very successful'

Beijing: China’s military said on Thursday its top General Xu Qiliang made a “very successful” visit to Pakistan this week but played down the trip’s timing which coincided with the India-Pak tensions, asserting that it was planned earlier as part of the PLA’s international military cooperation plan.

The visit of Gen Xu, the Vice Chairman of the China’s powerful Central Military Commission (CMC) headed by President Xi Jinping, assumed significance as it took place in the current round of tensions between Pakistan and India over New Delhi’s decision to revoke article 370 of the Constitution that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

The CMC is the overall high command of China’s 2-million strong military.

During his visit, Gen Xu held talks with Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and met President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Asked about the significance and outcome of Gen Xu’s visit to Pakistan, spokesman of the Chinese Ministry of Defence senior Col Ren Guoqiang told a media briefing here that “this visit is very successful.”

“China and Pakistan are strategic partners and iron brothers that help each other,” he said.

“Given the complex security situation in the region, the Chinese side is willing to work together with Pakistan side to implement the consensus between the two heads of the state, strengthen strategic communication, enhance mutual trust and improve defence cooperation so as to work together to safeguard regional stability,” he said, without directly referring to discussions on the Kashmir situation.

Gen Xu’s visit to Pakistan was in the 2019 international military cooperation plan of China and it was mutually agreed programme by Pakistan and China, he said, downplaying the significance of its timing.