China's latest 'gift' to Pakistan - combat aircraft; ballistic, cruise, anti-ship, anti-aircraft missiles

Islamabad will pay back China for the 'gift' by ensuring security to the CPEC.

New Delhi: The China-Pakistan strategic friendship is all set to enter the next level with both nations firming up plans to jointly produce combat aircraft and missiles.

Global Times, the mouthpiece of China's ruling party, has reported that the two nations plan to build ballistic, cruise, anti-ship, and anti-aircraft missiles.

The development is significant given Beijing's anger when India launched its long-range Agni-V – capable of hitting most parts of China.

Also in the works is the mass production of multi-role combat aircraft FC-1 Xiaolong.

These decisions were taken during Pakistan Army Chief Qamar Bajwa's visit to the Chinese capital.

Islamabad will pay back China for the 'gift' by ensuring that Beijing's most ambitious project China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) gets fool-proof security from the Karakoram ranges to the Arabian Sea port of Gwadar.

In fact, Pakistan has already deployed more than 15,000 troops to protect CPEC, besides having raised a Navy contingent to protect the Gwadar Port.