ISLAMABAD  -  Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu called on various dignitaries during his visit to China. In these meetings, the Air Chief called on Chinese Defence Minister and State Councilor General Li Shangfu, People’s Liberation Army Air Force Commander General Chang Dingqiu, Chief of Equipment Development Department General Xu Xueqiang and Director General Bureau of Military Equipment and Technical Cooperation (Bometec) Major General Fan Jianjun, according to a press release received here Sunday.

During the meetings, the matters pertaining to mutual interest and regional security situation were discussed. The dignitaries also discussed the evolving geo-political environment and regional developments having significant implications for both the countries. During this historical engagement between the high-level military leadership of the two nations, the Chief of the Air Staff said that Pakistan values its strong diplomatic and defence ties with China which are based on convergence on all important issues related to regional peace and security while reiterating strong strategic partnership in the face of shared challenges.

A smartly turned-out contingent presented a guard of honour to the Air Chief on his arrival at the PLAAF Headquarters, Beijing, China. The PLAAF Commander expressed his admiration for the professionalism of the Pakistan Air Force personnel and praised the remarkable progress made by the Pakistan Air Force through indigenization. The Air Chief reiterated his unwavering commitment to enhancing the existing bilateral ties in military-to-military cooperation, strategic alliance and the training domain.

Later, during two separate meetings between the Air Chief and General Xu Xueqiang, Chief of Equipment Development Department, and Major General Fan Jianjun, Director General Bureau of Military Equipment & Technical Cooperation (Bometec), several key points on exploring opportunities for technology transfer and collaborative development of advanced military hardware were also discussed. Chief of the Air Staff, PAF also met with the heads of Chinese Defence Industry.

The visit of Chief of the Air Staff to China is a testament to the strong commitment of both nations to further enhance their strategic partnership through continued dialogue and military collaboration, said the press release.