Naval chief attends 19th Western Pacific Naval Symposium in China: ISPR

RAWALPINDI: The Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf recently participated in the “19th Western Pacific Naval Symposium” held in China, the military’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced in a press release on Thursday.

During the symposium, the naval chiefs and representatives from various countries convened under the theme “A Shared Future with the Sea”.

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According to the press release by the ISPR, the symposium served as a platform for “global maritime stakeholders” to engage in discussions and collaborations aimed at promoting “mutual understanding, cooperation, and security” in the maritime domain.

During the event, the Pakistan naval chief held separate meetings with high-ranking officials, including the Commander of the US Pacific Fleet, the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff of the Royal Navy, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Federation Navy.

The one-on-one meetings provided an opportunity to discuss matters of mutual interest and explore avenues for cooperation in enhancing maritime security. “The meeting discussed the growing threats in the global maritime domain,” the statement stated.

Admiral Ashraf also met with counterparts from other participating navies, such as the Chief of the Indonesian Navy, the Chief of the Bangladesh Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations of South Korea, the Chief of Naval Operations of Singapore, and the Acting Deputy Commander of the Brunei Navy.

The meetings with other developing nations were aimed at facilitating discussions on regional security challenges and opportunities for collaboration to address common maritime concerns. “During the meetings, the Naval Chief highlighted the role of the Pakistan Navy in dealing with the growing threats in the maritime domain and the blue economy at the global level”, the statement said.

During the symposium, the Pakistan naval chief pointed out the role played by Pakistan in dealing with evolving threats in the maritime domain and promoting the blue economy on a global scale.

According to the statement by ISPR, Admiral Naveed Ashraf stressed the importance of collective efforts in addressing shared maritime challenges, highlighting Pakistan’s contributions to security and stability.

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Pakistan Navy’s participation in the Western Pacific Naval Symposium dates back to 2014 when it joined as an observer.

The statement concluded with “the recent visit of the Chief of the Naval Staff will strengthen bilateral cooperation with participating navies to enhance regional and global maritime security”.