Army Chief discusses mutual security, military cooperation with China

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir visited the headquarters of the People’s Liberation Army and met the PLA commander on Wednesday. They discussed regional stability and military cooperation.

The army chief, who is in China on a four-day official visit, arrived in the neighbouring country on Tuesday.

In a press release issued today, the military’s media wing said that upon his arrival at the PLA headquarters, the COAS was warmly welcomed and presented with a guard of honour.

“The COAS reviewed the smartly turned out contingent which was later followed by a detailed meeting with the Commander of the PLA Army,” it said.

During the meeting, the two military commanders reaffirmed the need to maintain peace and stability in the region while promoting military-to-military cooperation, the ISPR stated.

The army chief also observed a demonstration of the PLA troops’ operational capabilities and commended the high standards of training and professionalism demonstrated by the soldiers.

COAS Munir’s four-day visit to China includes a series of meetings with military leaders aimed at strengthening the longstanding relations between the two armed forces, the military’s media affairs wing said.

These inaugural meetings are expected to be followed by further discussions on enhancing military cooperation and promoting greater collaboration in the areas of defence and security, it added.

This is COAS Munir’s fourth overseas visit ever since he took charge as the army chief. Earlier this year, he undertook a week-long official visit to UAE and Saudi Arabia and held meetings with the top leadership of the Gulf states.

During the visit, the officials reviewed Pakistan’s bilateral ties with the two countries and discussed ways to strengthen the relations.

Later in February, the COAS visited the United Kingdom for meetings on defence-related issues. He also attended a conference at Wilton Park, an executive agency created by the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office to foster open dialogue between governments.