Pakistan President Zardari visits China’s secret defence military facility amid Indo-Pacific tensions
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Pakistan President Zardari visits China’s secret defence military facility amid Indo-Pacific tensions")
President Asif Ali Zardari became the first foreign Head of State to visit China’s AVIC aircraft complex in Chengdu Photograph: (X (@PresOfPakistan))
Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari toured China’s secret military hub AVIC, discussing deeper defence ties after Pakistan’s losses in Operation Sindoor
In a rare diplomatic gesture, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari was granted access to one of China’s most secure military facilities — the headquarters of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). Zardari is the first foreign head of state to receive such a tour, during which he explored China’s latest advancements in military aviation and defence technologies.
During his visit to AVIC on Sunday (September 14), Zardari received detailed briefings on a wide array of defence capabilities, including the J-10 fighter aircraft, the collaborative JF-17 Thunder program with Pakistan, and developments in the J-20 stealth fighter jet. The tour also covered cutting-edge unmanned aerial systems, fully automated combat platforms, and integrated command-and-control frameworks designed for multi-domain warfare.
While the Chinese Foreign Ministry downplayed the visit’s military implications, it instead highlighted Zardari’s support for the Global Security Initiative (GSI) — Beijing’s strategic vision presented as an alternative to Western-led security frameworks. Zardari’s 10-day official visit comes shortly after the end of cross-border hostilities between India and Pakistan, triggered by the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, striking terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Both countries agreed to de-escalate by May 10, but the conflict revealed serious vulnerabilities in Pakistan's defence systems.
Zardari’s AVIC tour follows a series of high-level Pakistan-China engagements, including recent visits by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Gen Asim Munir. The Pakistani leadership is believed to be exploring replenishment and upgrade options for its military assets, many of which were sourced from China and used during the brief conflict with India.
According to SIPRI, over 80% of Pakistan’s military equipment is supplied by China — a reliance that continues to shape defence cooperation between the two countries. Zardari was joined by PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari during the AVIC visit. His trip began on September 12, shortly after Sharif and Munir attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit and held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
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