Pakistani army chief in China to deepen ties, meets VP, top military official

Beijing/Islamabad: Pakistan army chief Asim Munir, who is on his first visit to China after his elevation as the field marshal, on Friday held talks with top Chinese leaders and discussed ways to deepen cooperation across all sectors. Munir held separate meetings with V-P Han Zheng, top military official general Zhang Youxia and foreign minister Wang Yi, according to official media reports.

This is Munir's first visit to China after India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistam in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. During the conflict, Pakistan used extensive military equipment supplied by China. This is also Munir's first visit to China after his trip to Washington, where he met US President Trump and sought to establish close ties with America, Beijing's strategic rival.

The visit coincides with Pakistan's foreign minister Ishaq Dar making a trip to Washington, where he is expected to meet US secretary of state Marco Rubio. Dar was in China July 14 to attend Shanghai Cooperation Organisation foreign ministers' meeting.

A Pakistan military statement said that in their talks, the "Chinese leadership lauded Pakistan armed forces as a cornerstone of resilience and a vital contributor to peace in South Asia. Both sides expressed satisfaction over the depth of bilateral engagement and reiterated shared commitment to sovereign equality, multilateral cooperation and regional stability."