Defence cooperation with China being strengthened : Pak

Islamabad, Mar 16: Defence cooperation between Pakistan and China is on a high as the latter is expected to offer two more nuclear power plants of 325 megawatts capacity each and also provide advanced military technology to help improve Islamabad.'' weaponry in terms of ''value addition, accuracy and range''.

''Beijing has decided to forge greater military cooperation with Islamabad,'' 'The Dawn' today quoted sources as saying.

The decision was taken during Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's recent visit to China, they added.

China will initially help Pakistan develop its capability to manufacture quality ammunition for artillery and tanks, followed by other high-tech arms.

Numerous visits by military delegation between the two countries were being finalised by their respective governments to assess Pakistan's urgent military requirements, the sources said.

The Chinese leadership assured Gen Musharraf that Beijing does not want a ''conventional military imbalance'' in the region, so it would continue helping Pakistan attain better expertise in manufacturing quality arms and ammunitions, the report said.

The sources said China had indicated its willingness to launch more joint ventures with Pakistan for manufacturing military aircraft.

Both the countries will shortly start serial production for the JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft.

Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) Chairman Major General Mohammad Javed said negotiations were under way for increasing military cooperation between the two countries, the newspaper added.

''There exist substantial possibilities for increased defence cooperation between Pakistan and China,'' he said adding, talks were being held withFrance and Germany about similar joint ventures.

Some countries, he said, maintained that Pakistan was manufacturing high quality inexpensive small weapons of international standard, which could lead to joint ventures with them for producing the arms for export.

Pakistan earned over 56 million dollars during the past year by selling weapons to Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Bangladesh and some Middle Eastern countries, he said.

UNI