China’s Deputy Commander of Western military region to soon visit Pakistan

BEIJING: China’s Deputy Commander of the Western military region, Major General Liu Xiaowu will soon visit Pakistan and India, the spokesman of the Chinese defence ministry said on Thursday.

He would discuss border issues and cooperation as well as military exchanges with the two countries, Wu Qian said while speaking at the monthly briefing.

The spokesperson did not give the date of the visit saying it would soon be finalized through consultations.

During his visit to Pakistan, Gen Liu would hold meetings with military leadership and discuss ways and means to further strengthen defence cooperation as well as military exchanges between the two all-weather friends.

He also informed that Pakistan and India along with other Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states would participate in the “Peace Mission” joint military drill to be held in Russia in the latter half of this year.

“China is willing to continue to engage in exchanges and cooperation in defence and security cooperation with SCO member countries on the basis of mutual trust and benefit, and improve capacity to jointly cope with new challenges and threats,” he added.

Responding to a question regarding recently held trilateral maritime exercise between the United States, Japan and Indian maritime services of the Guam Coast this month, he said his country had no objection to the normal cooperation among different countries, adding, it should not be directed against any third country.

Wu Qian said the International Army Games - 2018 would be held in seven countries including China, Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan and added, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) would host four contests of the games.

The contests included “Suvorov Attack” contest among Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) crews, “Clear Sky” contest among air defence missile units, “Safe Route” contest among engineering troops, and the “Seaborne Assault” contest among Marine Corps.

The spokesman informed that preparations had gained momentum for the 7th CISM Military World Games to be staged in Wuhan in October 2019. It will be one of the largest and most influential international sports games at the highest level to be held in China after the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

To a question about the China-Africa defence and security forum, he said the representatives from 50 African countries and the African Union attended the forum and discussed defence and security cooperation.

He said the forum, the first of its kind, was hosted by China's Ministry of National Defence.