China promises full technical assistance to PAF: ISPR

ISLAMABAD: China has assured the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) of continue extending comprehensive technical assistance, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) says.

According to the ISPR, Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong made the promise, as he held a meeting with Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu on Tuesday.

The two sides stressed the need for coordinated and joint efforts to meet the emerging challenges. Practical preparation and swift synchronisation was a prerequisite given the regional security issues, they said.

During the meeting, they reiterated the commitment to further strengthen Pakistan-China defence cooperation.  

At the same time, Zaidong praised the PAF’s performance during the recent tensions along Pakistan’s eastern borders.

CHINESE SUPERIORITY

The PAF’s ability to down Indian fighter jets has become a worldwide topic of discussion.

In a report, France 24 said it was big victory for China in terms of perception, as Pakistan used Chinese J-10C fighter jets, which carried PL-15 air-to-air missiles.

At the same time, she went on praise the Pakistani military for their professionalism, saying there are several factors contributing to battleground effectiveness.

However, the professionalism of PAF personnel isn’t ignored.

“It’s very easy to generalise, to say this Chinese weapons system is superior. But at the same time, it’s also the training of the pilots, the coordination among different weapons systems that are important,” said an expert.

CHINA AND PAKISTAN’S SOVEREIGNTY

Separately, China said it supports Pakistan in defending “national sovereignty and territorial integrity”, after a ceasefire ended four days of fighting with India over a deadly attack in Kashmir.

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said China welcomed the two countries “handling differences through dialogue” as he met his Pakistani counterpart Mohammad Ishaq Dar in Beijing on Tuesday.

REGIONAL COP? NO, NEVER

Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Wednesday said India’s dream of acting as ‘a cop in the region’ had been shattered, as he asked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to check his actions.

Addressing Modi, Shehbaz warned him against violating the Indus Waters Treaty and repeated the earlier offer to hold an impartial investigation into the Pahalgam attack.