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China on Thursday vowed to take its military ties with Pakistan to a new high and defended its nuclear cooperation with Islamabad to build two new reactors for the country.
By hindustantimes.com

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China today vowed to take its military ties with Pakistan to a “new high” and defended its nuclear cooperation with Islamabad to build two new reactors for the country.
By hindustantimes.com

article[s] found via yahoo.com”s news search
China vowed to take its military ties with Pakistan to a “new high” and defended its nuclear cooperation with Islamabad to build two new reactors for the country.
By news.rediff.com

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This is a huge deal. But $1.4 billion is not cheap, can Pakistan come up with enough funding for this purchase ?

LAHORE: China has agreed to sell Pakistan at least 36 advanced fighter jets in a landmark deal worth as much as $1.4bn, Pakistani and western officials said on Tuesday.

China will supply two squadrons of J-10 fighter planes in a preliminary agreement, which could lead to further sales in future, a Pakistani official said.

The official added that Pakistan might buy “larger numbers” of the planes in the future, but denied reports that Pakistan had agreed to buy 150 jets.

Experts describe the agreement as a “landmark” in Pak-China relations.

“The agreement should not simply be seen in the narrow context of Pakistan’s relations with China,” said Abdul Qayyum, a retired Pakistani general. “There is a wider dimension. By sharing its advanced technology with Pakistan, China is … also saying to the world that its defence capability is growing rapidly.”

China has supplied Pakistan with fighter jets for more than three decades. Experts said the sales would be evidence of China looking to expand its military power. “Countries like Iran and possibly some of the Middle Eastern countries would be keen to deal with China,” said one western official in Islamabad.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=20091111story_11-11-2009_pg1_5

By polaris

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May.31 (China Military News cited from indianexpress.com) — In A major setback to Pakistan, the strategic Karakoram Highway that connects China with Pakistan has been closed for over three months now after parts of it were submerged by an artificial lake following a massive landslide in Hunza valley in January. With reports suggesting that the damage could take more than a year or two to repair, the highway may stay closed for a while.

The landslide has led to the creation of a huge artificial lake in the Gilgit-Baltistan area, better known as the Northern Areas in India, along the Hunza river. The lake, which is said to have spread over 24 km and is now over 100 metres deep at certain points, is expected to breach very soon.

Karakoram Highway

The closure of the Karakoram Highway has badly affected the high-volume trade between Pakistan and China as well as military supplies. The highway connects the Gilgit-Baltistan area with Xinjiang province in China and has remained a source of military and strategic concern for India since it was built as a Sino-Pak “friendship highway”. Four years back, the two countries had agreed to further broaden the 1,300 km-highway.

The massive landslide in January, coupled with melting of glaciers in the last month or so, has posed the biggest challenge to Pakistani authorities since the highway was constructed. Engaged in campaigns against terrorist outfits on its western border, the Pakistan army has been on high alert over the past few days over a possible breach in the lake.

Pakistan Army engineers are looking at building a bypass on the Karakoram Highway to re-establish connectivity. Reports indicate that boats are being sent across submerged sections to ferry goods.

With the closure affecting military supplies from Beijing to Islamabad, a Chinese defence delegation recently visited Pakistan to discuss alternative arrangements.

It’s believed that two bridges on the highway, at Gulmit and Shiskat — the former an engineering marvel — are now submerged. The extent of damage and the possibility of building a bypass quickly can only be explored once there is a breach in the lake and the water drains out. By Pakistan’s own estimates, outflow currently is less than 200 cusecs while the inflow is 2400 cusecs. There is little over 100,000 acre feet water in the lake and Pakistan’s estimate is that the lake cannot hold more than 112,000 acre feet. So the breach is imminent any day.

As and when the breach occurs, Pakistan’s disaster management authorities have estimated that 35-40 villages may be washed away. Some 40,000 people have apparently been evacuated to avert major loss of life.

Chinese engineers, along with Pakistan’s Frontier Works Organisation, have constructed a spillway, but work on that too has been affected because of fear of more landslides.

The entire highway has always been viewed as an environmentally dangerous project given that it was built through an ecologically sensitive area and Pakistan, in fact, lost over 800 workers during the construction phase largely due to landslides.

Thereafter too, landslides have continuously disrupted movement on the road. But special arrangements have been made by the Pakistan army to ensure that the road is not blocked for a long time. Pakistan is also concerned about the possible collection of silt in the Tarbela dam, where the water from the lake would flow.

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By admin

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ZDK-03 is based from Yun-8 transport plane.

Pakistan has received its second Erieye radar-equipped Saab 2000, and will also accept its first Shaanxi ZDK-03 airborne early warning and control system aircraft before year-end.

Islamabad has four ZDK-03s on order, with deliveries due to start later this year, say air force sources. The type is a new variant of the Shaanxi Y8 AEW&C aircraft designed specifically for Pakistan.

The Chinese aircraft is powered by four turboprop engines and has a greater range than offered by the Saab Microwave Systems Erieye, the sources say.

The air force recently received its second Saab 2000 surveillance aircraft, and anticipates that it will receive its remaining two in the second and third quarters of this year.

Islamabad signed a mid-2006 contract for Erieye radar-equipped Saab 2000s

Pakistan’s move to source AEW&C aircraft from both China and the West is indicative of its strategy to refrain from being overly reliant on any one ally. The USA imposed military sanctions against Pakistan from 1990 to 2005 in response to its testing nuclear weapons.

The air force’s current fleet includes Lockheed Martin F-16s, Dassault Mirage III and 5 fighters, Chengdu F-7s and JF-17s; a new type developed jointly by China and Pakistan.

In terms of military transports, Pakistan flies Lockheed C-130s, but also operates Ilyushin Il-78 tankers.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/05/07/341584/pakistan-to-get-chinese-aewc-aircraft-this-year.html

By polaris

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Pakistan Navy test fires missiles in Arabian Sea manoeuvres

In this handout picture released by the Pakistan Navy, a target ship is hit by a missile during a naval firepower test conducted by the Pakistan Navy in the north Arabian Sea on Friday.

Islamabad: The Pakistan Navy on Friday fired a variety of missiles and torpedoes from warships, submarines and aircraft in an intensive firepower drill in the north Arabian Sea. It said the exercise was a message to “nefarious” forces, an apparent reference to India.

“While [giving a reassurance about the] Pakistan Navy’s commitment to defending the motherland, this strike capability would also send a message of deterrence to anyone harbouring nefarious designs against Pakistan,” a Navy statement said after the manoeuvres.

The manoeuvres were aimed at assessing the lethality, precision and efficacy of weapon systems, the statement said.

Newly-inducted weapons systems, including anti-surface missiles on Chinese-made F-22 P frigates and air-to-surface missiles of the P3C maritime surveillance aircraft were among those tested.

An important feature of the drill was the firing of subsurface-to-surface missiles by Agosta 90B submarines.

“The target set was successfully engaged,” the statement said.

Naval Chief Admiral Noman Bashir, who witnessed the event, expressed satisfaction at the operational readiness of the Pakistan Navy fleet, and commended officers and men for their commitment and professionalism.

Area cleared

The weapon firing zone, spread over hundreds of miles, was cleared of all merchant ships and fishing craft during a special operation to ensure the safe conduct of the drill. The missiles fired included the French-acquired SM 39 surface-to-surface missiles, and the AM 39 air launched version of the same missile.

The naval exercise comes after Pakistan reportedly recently acquired 120 Chinese C802 long-range anti-ship cruise missiles to counter the Indian Navy’s BrahMos missiles. — PTI

http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/13/stories/2010031356422600.htm

By polaris

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Pakistan, China to enhance military cooperation (MalaysiaNews.net)
us.rd.yahoo.com says: Islamabad, Jan 17 (IANS) Pakistan and China have inked an agreement for further strengthening defence production, staging joint military exercises and training military officers.

Changing China

via Can China help stabilise Pakistan?.

via China boost to Pak military troubles India.

Warships, fighters, missiles and millions in aid, Islamabad has it all
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 27
The ongoing military relationship between China and Pakistan is worrying India. Defence Minister AK Antony today hit out at China saying the “increasing nexus between China and Pakistan remains an area of serious concern ….. we have to carry out continuous appraisals of Chinese military capabilities and shape our responses accordingly”.

He was speaking at the 44th foundation day celebrations of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) in the Capital.

“India wants to develop a friendly and cordial relationship with its neighbours including China. We continue our efforts. At the same time, there are issues that are a matter of concern to us,” he said. Antony’s fears are not misplaced. New Delhi feels the China-Pakistan military nexus is detrimental to its interests and the strategic balance in the South Asian region.

Another area of concern for India is Chinese transfer of equipment and technology for Pakistan’s nuclear weapon programme. China has helped Pakistan build two nuclear reactors in the Punjab province and continues to support its nuclear programme.

China is Pakistan’s largest defence supplier. These include short-range ballistic missiles, fighter aircraft, frigates with helicopters, T-85 tanks, jet trainers, besides arms and ammunition.

Pakistan is scheduled to get the second of the four warships China is building for it next month. PNS Shamsheer, the frigate class warship F 22P, has anti-submarine warfare capabilities and armed choppers on board. In July this year, just days after India had launched its first N- powered submarine, China had handed over the first warship to Pakistan. Three of these ships will be built at a Chinese port, while the fourth one will be built in Pakistan.

Just last week, the two neighbours of India had announced that they were co-developing a fighter jet named JF-17. The production facilities of the same will be housed in Pakistan, while China will provide most of the parts that includes a Russian-built engine. Separately, China has already agreed to supply some 36 J-10 fighters to Pakistan. The single-engine fighter is somewhere close to the Mirage-2000 owned by India.

In the past, the Chinese have supplied Pakistan with K-8 jet trainers, Al-Khalid tanks and Al-Zarar tanks. Both have lower capability than India’s T-90 tanks. China has also supplied small arms and ammunition besides having built a ballistic-missile manufacturing facility near Rawalpindi to develop the 750-km-range, solid-fuel Shaheen-1 missile for Pakistan.

Apart from two nuclear reactors, a huge port at Gwadar near Karachi has been set up with Chinese aid. In the second project, China has pumped in 80 per cent of the expenses, say sources.

However, Antony was hopeful that China would reciprocate India’s initiatives aimed at mutual prosperity and understanding.

via First Pakistan-made JF-17 fighter rolls out.

IntelliBriefs

via To please China, US slights India.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/216752/To-please-China-US-slights-India.html

US President Barack Obama’s China visit has put the writing on the wall in bold: China is the next superpower the world must watch out for. Clearly, the US realises there is little it can do to prevent China’s phenomenal rise and growing influence; it has therefore decided to partner that growth. And, what better way than to use a presidential visit to Beijing to declare America’s most serious geopolitical rival Asia’s Big Boss and cozy up to a major global player in a rapidly multipolarising world. Admittedly, none can deny that China has been moving in that direction with very sure steps; it was only a matter of time before the US acknowledged that. Following his summit with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Mr Obama therefore said, “The Sino-US relationship has never been more important in our collective future.”

Except, the declaration comes at a huge cost for India which, following the Indo-US nuclear deal, was being hailed as a strategic partner of the US, a counterbalance to China’s alarming growth in the region and in the world. While the deal clearly mortgaged India’s nuclear freedom, the Manmohan Singh Government drew false comfort from becoming a “strategic” partner of the US. Mr Obama’s joint statement with Mr Hu now categorically indicates that far from being a possible counter-China presence in Asia India is, in fact, a subject of joint US-China monitoring, a perception Mr Obama has merely offered to “share” with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the latter’s forthcoming visit to the US.

The Obama-Hu statement begs serious and immediate attention. In a highly inexplicable, unprovoked and offensive manner, the joint statement says both “support the improvement and growth of relations between India and Pakistan”. The casualness with which India has once again been hyphenated with Pakistan is alarming, to say the least. It was indeed an arduous diplomatic drill for India during the 1999 Kargil conflict when the world in unison reprimanded two nuclear neighbours for baring their fangs at each other. However, global capitals soon realised that Indian restraint alone had prompted US intervention which forced Pakistan to back off. In the subsequent years, courtesy some hectic diplomacy by its leadership, India was able to convince the world that it was a mistake to measure the two nuclear armed states with the same yardstick. India’s economic growth and political credibility in the decade that followed finally gave world powers the confidence to de-hyphenate the two South Asian neighbours and deal with India as an emerging global power and with Pakistan as a failed Talibanised state.

As a country that calls India a strategic partner — an unstated tool to contain Chinese hegemony — the US would have surely known what the re-hyphenation of India and Pakistan on Chinese soil meant. Mr Obama may be new in office but surely an American President cannot be ignorant enough about India’s sensitivities to ask China — long seen as Pakistan’s aide in its conflict with India, its prejudices and ploys no state secret — to monitor an arena in which Beijing itself has geopolitical stakes. Is Mr Obama not aware that had it not been for Chinese help Pakistan, a rogue state, would never have acquired a nuclear weapon? Is he also unaware that China is engaged in huge infrastructure building in northern Kashmir so that Pakistan maintains a strategic edge over India? This, apart from the infrastructure build-up along China’s own disputed borders with India that have put a huge question mark on India-China relations of late.

Today the creator of a nuclear monster like Pakistan, with its own reasons to keep India down, has been entrusted the task of monitoring “good relations” between a failed state and a responsible democracy like India. Indeed, India’s stature vis-à-vis Pakistan has been reset to 1998 when a US-China joint statement by Mr Bill Clinton and Mr Jiang Zemin, ordered the two to “resolve peacefully the difficult and long-standing differences between them, including the issue of Kashmir”. Short of saying ‘intervention’ that statement had asserted that the US and China were “ready to assist in the implementation” of the resumption of dialogue between the two countries.

Times — and the language Americans would use with India — were to change in subsequent years, remarkably so after Mr Clinton’s visit to India in March 2000. Notably, after a five-day visit to India, Mr Clinton stopped over in Islamabad only for a few hours. The de-hyphenation had begun. Then came 9/11. With a terror attack on US soil, American engagement in the Asian arena was to change forever, an engagement that would leave India only as a bystander. In hindsight, India’s distance from what transpired in Afghanistan and Iraq and with what is now happening in Pakistan helped it stay above the conflict and prove to the world that the problem in South Asia is not an India-Pakistan border/territorial conflict but an alarmingly growing fundamentalist Islamic terror machinery that knows no borders.

Mr Obama’s visit to China comes at a time when India-China relations are at their pre-1962 worst and when US-China relations are at their all-time best. In such a scenario, for an American President to discuss India with China in the context of peace, stability and sustainable development in the region is patently offensive. Agreed, Mr Obama has to keep China in good humour. After all, the American and Chinese economies have become so interlinked that all other issues, including meeting the Dalai Lama, must be kept on hold. The compulsion is more serious on the American side. Also, it is quite evident that Mr Obama’s AfPak policy is headed nowhere. He is therefore seeking more partners in this theatre of conflict. By ceding China that strategic space the US can make a dignified exit out of a war it could never really fathom. The possible trade off: China minds Iran and North Korea.

In the process, if India’s strategic stature just got dwarfed in Beijing it has only the Manmohan Singh Government to blame. For, its first tenure saw India sign off crucial political leverage with the US in an inexplicably rushed nuclear deal. Its second tenure has seen its abject failure to counter growing Chinese belligerence on the border issue. Laughably, instead of outright rejection or outrage India’s feeble response to the China-US statement is that it is “committed to resolving all outstanding issues with Pakistan through a peaceful bilateral dialogue…A third country role cannot be envisaged nor is it necessary.”

First made in Pakistan JF-17 fighter to roll out on Monday: “

ISLAMABAD: The first state of the art JF-17 Thunder multi-role fighter plane produced in Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Kamra will roll out on Monday.

This will kick start a new era in Pak-China relationship, and aviation industry, an official source told APP here Tuesday. Both China as well as PAF attach a lot of importance to this project which is materializing after hectic and laborious efforts spread over almost a decade, he said.

The PAC has generated all the capability to produce the aircraft locally for its onward delivery to PAF besides materializing purchase orders from abroad.

The JF-17 Thunder a new generation, light-weight, all weather, day/night multi-role fighter aircraft with glass cockpit, hands-on-throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) controls and efficient man-machine interface will ensure a minimal pilot workload.

The maximum speed of Mach 1.6 and a high thrust-to-weight ratio will enable it to perform well in an air defence role. An ability to carry short- as well as long-range air-to-air missiles lends the aircraft a first shot capability.

In the surface attack role, a variety of weapons – conventional as well as precision-guided, a sophisticated avionics suite along with accurate weapon delivery system, ensure higher mission success rate.

An effective ECM suite will greatly enhance survivability of the platform. Its anticipated air-to-air refuelling capability will provide the JF-17 with more loiter time to safeguard the frontiers and the ability to deliver the required punch at distance.

It will replace the ageing fleets of A-5s, F-7Ps and the Mirages in the PAF inventory thus fulfiling a multi-role task.

First made in Pakistan JF-17 fighter to roll out on Monday is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News – Forums – Pictures – Weapons

Pakistan rejects report of bomb-grade uranium from China (Space War): “Islamabad (AFP) Nov 13, 2009 – Pakistan on Friday angrily rejected a US newspaper report that China provided the nuclear-armed Muslim state with weapons grade uranium for two bombs in 1982.”

Pakistan and China in $1.4 billion fighter jet deal: “This is a huge deal. But $1.4 billion is not cheap, can Pakistan come up with enough funding for this purchase ?

LAHORE: China has agreed to sell Pakistan at least 36 advanced fighter jets in a landmark deal worth as much as $1.4bn, Pakistani and western officials said on Tuesday.

China will supply two squadrons of J-10 fighter planes in a preliminary agreement, which could lead to further sales in future, a Pakistani official said.

The official added that Pakistan might buy “larger numbers” of the planes in the future, but denied reports that Pakistan had agreed to buy 150 jets.

Experts describe the agreement as a “landmark” in Pak-China relations.

“The agreement should not simply be seen in the narrow context of Pakistan’s relations with China,” said Abdul Qayyum, a retired Pakistani general. “There is a wider dimension. By sharing its advanced technology with Pakistan, China is … also saying to the world that its defence capability is growing rapidly.”

China has supplied Pakistan with fighter jets for more than three decades. Experts said the sales would be evidence of China looking to expand its military power. “Countries like Iran and possibly some of the Middle Eastern countries would be keen to deal with China,” said one western official in Islamabad.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\11\11\story_11-11-2009_pg1_5