China’s Defence Minister, Li Shangfu, met with Pakistan’s Chief of Naval Staff, Amjad Khan Niazi, on Monday, and stressed the importance of expanding military cooperation between the two countries. Li expressed the need for their militaries, including their navies, to “expand into new fields of cooperation” to enhance their abilities to deal with risks and challenges and safeguard the security interests of both nations and the region.
China has long had military ties with Pakistan, with their navies and air forces conducting bilateral exercises in each other’s territory. China’s interest in the region has raised concerns, particularly in neighbouring India, following China’s establishment of its first overseas military base in Djibouti in 2017.
The strategic importance of Pakistan and its access to the Arabian Sea is significant to China in the event of a maritime blockade in the Strait of Malacca. However, China has not yet disclosed if it has sought military access to Pakistan’s deepwater port of Gwadar, which has been identified by the Pentagon as a potential location for a future Chinese military base.
Niazi’s visit to China follows Vice Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, Zhang Youxia’s meeting with Chief of Army Staff, Asim Munir in late April. During the meeting, Zhang assured Pakistan of China’s willingness to deepen and expand military cooperation.
Any indication of China establishing a military base in Pakistan would fuel India’s concerns about China’s growing military alliances and assets in the region. In 2022, India expressed concerns when a Chinese survey ship visited a strategic port in Sri Lanka, and in 2014, Sri Lanka allowed a Chinese submarine and warship to dock in Colombo, causing tensions with India.