Joint military drills by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the Pakistani Navy in the Indian Ocean entered the live-fire phase on Tuesday.
Since the second phase of the Sea Guardian drills, which began on Sunday, the navies have completed the exchange phase on-shore. Elaborating on the drills, PLA Navy spokesperson Liu Wensheng said that the exercise aimed at “jointly dealing with maritime security threats” and “seeks to enhance defence cooperation between China and Pakistan, while also promoting an all-weather strategic partnership.”
Referring to the fact that the joint drill is being conducted in the Indian Ocean, Liu added that the training was “scheduled according to an existing annual plan” and did not intend to “target any specific third parties.”
A 4-day joint maritime exercise btw #China & #Pakistan kicked off on July 10. The codenamed Sea Guardians-2 joint exercise aims to enhance defense co’op, exchange expertise & experience, &promote the development of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. pic.twitter.com/Ki7PacM3Rr
— Ambassador Deng Xijun (@China2ASEAN) July 12, 2022
The PLA said in a press release that during the second phase of the exercise, which lasts for two days, both navies will train in “communications, joint missile and main gun attacks against maritime targets, anti-aircraft shooting with close-in weapons system, joint replenishment, joint tactical manoeuvring, joint anti-submarine warfare, air defence and anti-missile, as well as joint support on damaged vessels.”
In the on-shore phase of the exercise, both sides participated in “simulations of tactics and command as well as professional exchanges between sailors from the Xiangtan and the Taimur over techniques in the use of the main gun and the close-in weapon system, the support of vessel-based helicopters, anti-submarine warfare, damage control and maritime replenishment,” the PLA said. Taimur is the second of four China-built Type 054A/P frigates that were delivered to the Pakistani Navy in late June.
Developing story: #China-#Pakistan joint naval drill in #Shanghai enters live-fire phase. Vessels will conduct training courses including anti-ship, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare. @globaltimesnews pic.twitter.com/fg7iWEHox3
— libijian李碧建 (@libijian2) July 12, 2022
Speaking on the significance of the drills, Chinese military expert Wei Dongxu told the Chinese state-owned media house Global Times (GT) that the two countries “need to jointly demonstrate their capabilities in safeguarding strategic sea lanes that transport energy and goods.” Another anonymous expert told GT on Tuesday that “exchanges between Chinese and Pakistani sailors will enable the latter, who just received delivery of the Taimur, to quickly accumulate knowledge in making the best out of the vessel, and putting them into practice in the live-fire exercises.”
Apart from purchasing four modern naval frigates from Beijing, Islamabad will also procure eight Chinese submarines as part of efforts to modernise its navy. Over the years, China and Pakistan have grown increasingly closer due to their common rivalry with India and their cooperation via the Belt and Road Initiative, under which they have launched the critical China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.