Celina Ali
Islamabad: Pakistan and China this week celebrated the 99th founding anniversary of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) with a high-profile ceremony in Islamabad, underscoring the two countries’ deepening strategic partnership and growing defence cooperation.
Hosted by Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong and Defence Attaché Major General Wang Zhong, the event brought together senior Pakistani civil and military officials, diplomats and members of the diplomatic corps, reflecting the strength of the Pakistan-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.
Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Babar Sidhu attended the ceremony as the chief guest and congratulated the Chinese leadership, the Communist Party of China and the PLA on the occasion of its 99th founding anniversary.
Addressing the gathering, the Air Chief described Pakistan-China relations as “time-tested and enduring,” saying the partnership has continued to strengthen despite changing regional and global dynamics. He noted that mutual trust, strategic coordination and unwavering support for each other’s core interests have made the bilateral relationship one of the world’s most resilient strategic partnerships.
He said defence cooperation has become a cornerstone of bilateral ties, contributing significantly to regional peace, collective security and strategic stability. He highlighted the continued expansion of military collaboration through joint exercises, professional exchanges, defence technology cooperation and institutional engagement.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to the partnership, Air Chief Marshal Sidhu said Islamabad looks forward to further expanding defence cooperation while deepening collaboration in economic, technological, industrial and cultural fields. He expressed confidence that the comprehensive strategic partnership would continue promoting peace, stability and shared prosperity across the region.
Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong thanked Pakistan’s military leadership for joining the celebrations and reaffirmed Beijing’s appreciation for Pakistan’s steadfast friendship and strategic support. He said the PLA anniversary commemorates nearly a century of the Chinese armed forces’ development while also symbolizing the enduring friendship and strategic trust underpinning China-Pakistan relations.
Chinese Defence Attaché Major General Wang Zhong said military cooperation between the two countries continues to grow steadily, reflecting their shared commitment to safeguarding regional security, strengthening strategic coordination and advancing common development.
Established in 1927, the People’s Liberation Army is the armed wing of the Communist Party of China and the armed forces of the People’s Republic of China. With more than two million active-duty personnel, it is the world’s largest standing military force, comprising the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, Rocket Force and Aerospace Force.
The ceremony concluded with both countries reaffirming their commitment to further strengthening defence collaboration, enhancing strategic coordination and advancing the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership that both sides view as an important pillar of regional peace, security and long-term stability. A cake-cutting ceremony and dinner marked the conclusion of the celebrations.
